The Turns of Time
by Seshaddict
Summary: Kagome's living reality in modern day Japan after the final battle in the feudal era and discovering that life in the modern age is not so kind; until an unlikely white knight steps into her life again. The question is, will he want to save her?
1. Chapter 1

_**The Turns of Time**_

By: Seshaddict

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!

I had hoped to pull out an update for TPOD and UNS for the holidays, but unfortunately, hit a snag with the storyline update for TPOD, and just didn't have the energy to type up and edit UNS's next chapter. But I did have this short, not so brilliant basic story done, so I decided to pull it out of my computer as my Christmas gift. It started as a one shot, but grew to engulf 3 chapters. I am loading the first chapter today, and will perhaps pull the second chapter out for New Years, ending the finale with a Valentine's day chapter, much like the story's own timeline.

I do not own InuYasha- that belongs to Rumiko Takahshi, not I, but I have thought up along this story from her fan fiction. I hope you enjoy it.

Snow was falling rapidly, blurring the sharp edges of the Tokyo skyline with soft smudges as the white precipitation built up. Against the twinkling lights that lit the buildings and streets, the city herself softened, and became beautiful.

Sesshoumaru sighed. It was nearing the holiday season, and like so many things in this century, westernization had taken over Japan's own culture. It did not matter if one was Buddhist or Shinto, for Christmas was the season of giving and shopping, of meeting family and friends. It was the time when a demon, like himself- living hidden amongst the throngs of humanity wondered exactly if living like this- year after year, century after century alone, was worth it.

"I am becoming a stupid sentimental fool!" Sesshoumaru thought, forcibly refusing that line of thought any further. Obviously centuries of living with the highly emotional creatures (in other words- humans) was taking a toll on his own sense of self.

His golden eyes, burning still with an intensity undiminished by age or time studied his reflection through the sparkling window he had been observing out of. The once long white hair was now cut, a bit in a shaggy style so that the ends rested upon his shoulders, the ends uneven. But the look it gave him with his ageless face was sharp- modern. His crescent moon and magenta stripes were out of sight- for demons had evolved to be able to hide their distinctive markings from humans. Darwin's law of survival at its best could be seen in examining how well the many demons who still existed today merged in with the now dominant species on Earth. Had he wanted, he could have changed his eyes and hair as well, but there was only so far he would change in the name of survival. Beyond that, there would have been no dignity. As it was, he had given up his preferred clothing for this abominable uniform that humans called a suit, and looked just like what he was supposed to be- a very phenomenally successful businessman hosting one of the many socialite filled Christmas parties of the season.

Surprisingly he had never been questioned to be anything but human, despite the abnormal colors his person was made of. Albino they called him. Scoffing at the absolute ridiculousness of the thought, Sesshoumaru turned from the window. Enough stupid thoughts, it was time he started playing host to the hilt. He started to mingle.

"Souta!" Kagome called out, as she rushed about throwing her brother's cloths into the opened suitcase on the bed.

"Sis," Souta stressed the word as he said it, " I can't leave you – not on Christmas." He was no longer the playful smiling boy she had come home to after her travels through time. Her heart hitched in pain at that thought. No, Souta was mature beyond his years.

Kagome turned, studying her brother with a maternal eye. They had become everything to each other ever since that day. The day she never wanted to ever remember, but the one that haunted her nights and sat upon the edge of her mind, like a haunting nightmare through each day. It had been five years now. _Why would the heartache and pain just not go away?_

But that was her life, and this is what she had become, and what she had to look forward to. She had failed out of high school, and it had never seemed to matter until the day she could no longer go back through the well. Now all she aspired for was to gain some success as a secretary, and to help her brother pursue his dreams for a higher education. He had the grades, he had the brain, and all he needed was for her to help him let go. Souta did not choose her choices, and since she had it in her power to give him more, she would. By god! - He would not forgo education and success just to hold her hand.

While she quailed at the thought of truly being alone, those were her own fears- ones she had to face, just like all the other monsters she had fought in her life. It was her battle to fight. It was not Souta's battle to fight at her side.

Seeing his grim and serious face, Kagome knew he was going to resist.

"Souta-" she felt her voice hitch. _Kagome be strong_ she admonished herself. "I love you," she simply stated, "and I am doing this because you are not going to waste your life worrying about me."

"Who is going to take care of you Kagome, if I go away to America for the rest of high school and college? I can just stay here and work and help you out, and we can be together sis. That's what mom would have wanted."

"No Souta," Kagome sighed, "that's not what she would have wanted." Walking up to the handsome young man her brother had become, Kagome reached up to brush away a stray lock of hair from his somber face. Looking deep into his eyes, with her heart in her own, she finally said, "Do you think a mother who let me go to the feudal era to fight battles with demons, one who never questioned my place there over here in school, one who never bothered to tell me how scared she was in her own heart for me- _A mother who let me do what I needed to do_, would tell you to do anything different Souta?"

The tears formed in his eyes then. Kagome knew she was getting across to him finally. "Souta, I can't afford Tokyo University's yearly fee, even if you get a great scholarship. But if you go to high school for the next two years, you can apply to great schools in the United States, and the scholarships with the way they give student loans is something we can do. Uncle Yokomarah is into education there, and he's willing to take you in and help us out with the boarding and your basic needs till you get into college. He's a bachelor, and I got the feeling that he is kind, and would help you even further in the future. Please Souta- don't turn this down. This is your chance- and when you're some famous doctor, you can invite me over for a visit."

Souta looked at his sister. She had gone from slim to slender during the years she had been in the feudal era, but now she was nearly gaunt. Her salary alone was paying for their food and basics, while contributing towards the phenomenal debts their grandfather's and mother's medical care had left them. A daytime secretarial job and nights spent as a bartender, she was also stretching herself thin to act as the miko of the shrine. As it was Souta suspected she was teetering on needing to sell the shrine too, and there would be issues with that. If his suspicions were correct, this land would not be so easy to sell. Higarshi shrine would be considered a historic landmark, and likely any attempts to buy it for development would be a mess. It was unlikely anyone would want to buy a shrine to just keep it- as shrines did not make enough money to pay for the phenomenal prices of real-estate in Tokyo today. That left the government taking over, as they had done to many shrines in the past, and paying their minimum amounts in return- which would leave the Higarashi family with nothing.

Souta also knew that selling the shrine would kill Kagome. Though his sister never spoke of it anymore, this was her last thread connecting her to the feudal era, and the events that had taken place there. Forcibly returned through the well to this time, she had come home unable to return after her final battle with Naraku. She was somewhat certain that InuYasha had died – something that still haunted her heart. The demon slayer Sango and her demon cat had also passed away earlier in the battle, and it was their demise that had given Kagome the power to fire the arrow of death for the Naraku. Beyond that, she did not know what had become of the others. Earlier on she had tried to find out, but then life and reality crept in.

Their grandfather had fallen ill, stretching the finances tight. She had failed high school fully and there had been no money for further schooling at the time. Then the final blow was finding out their mother had terminal cancer. 12 months later there had been no one but her and Souta, and a mountain of medical debts. The Higarashi's had never been wealthy, and it had taken only one unexpected medical issue to topple their lives into uncertainty.

Kagome refused to auction off the powerful artifacts they kept in the shrine- though she had parted with some of the paintings and all of their more ancient furniture. But the manuscripts and demon artifacts were out of the question. Kagome insisted that they be within the shrine walls and that no mention of selling them ever arise. Souta stared at his sister. The two swords, the Tetseiga and the Tensiega, were within Higarashi Shrine's walls, hidden in a special place Kagome had found. His sister had brought them with her when she had been returned through the well unwillingly. Their presence reminded him that though Kagome was now only working as a secretary and part time miko, that she had at one time in history saved this world. Taking in her threadbare socks and worn faded outfit, it was hard to understand. But Souta understood. He understood that heroes who lived, they lived tough lives and their personal sacrifices helped the whole world, but rarely themselves. Those choices - they were Kagome's. Just as sending him away to school was.

She was right about his education, and though he had been fighting it, he knew it was what needed to be done. He did not bring in enough money with his part time job and tips to help much. But leaving his haunted sister alone with all the family responsibilities and her past was something that scared him. She could not come with him right now, however, given their financial circumstances. The fear in his heart for his only family was what kept him from agreeing to all of this, but he was unfortunately smart enough to see it was utter stupidity upon his part to not go. He would hurt both of their futures with such a decision. He wanted to cry, but that was not what his sister needed. She needed a savior for herself for once. She needed a knight in shining armor. Stepping up to engulf her in a tight hug, Souta sent up a prayer, that somehow Kagome would be alright.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his morning coffee as his mistress of the moment sauntered in. Komara's beauty was stunning, and he was certain her future in the acting industry would be phenomenal. He'd have to soon find her replacement, for once her face became famous, he had no plans of finding his own face beside hers in the media. He was elusive and reclusive- and planned to stay that way. One of the benefits of business was that unless one wished to become know, your name and face became something known only to those in the world of business itself. That in itself could be prevented with the use of front men, which made one's import elusive. Everyone knew of you and to kow-to to you, but did not exactly know why. Which in turn allowed one to live life with power and privilege, but also with the benefits of privacy. Something he valued greatly.

"Sesshoumaru," Komara smiled. She knew he would not tolerate any shortening of his name. "Darling, you are coming to my shoot today aren't you?"

She had been trying for days to get him there, to show off her ability to snag him, and to display her prime catch. She would rather be his wife than work as an actress, for Komara was shrewd enough to know a good thing when she saw it. But she had no idea what a monster she consorted with, now did she- Sesshoumaru thought. Sesshoumaru's mouth smirked, part grin, part feral. Had Komara known the Sesshoumaru of old, she would have feared for her life. Sesshoumaru had no plans to give into her whims and wants- ever.

"No Komara, I won't be there." He said it softly, yet it brooked no argument. Komara was never sure why, but she always knew to never push it. Something very frightening lay underneath his beauty. She had told her friends, and it was that danger, when it glimmered occasionally, that excited her more than anything. Moth to a flame. Human to a vampire. Something was there, and Komara had no plans of letting him go, but she was smart enough to understand she may not have any say in the matter.

Pouting prettily she came over and kissed him soundly, and smiled delightedly, as he relaxed, his eyes darkening with lust. His fingers expertly worked the knot that held her silk kimono housecoat in place. Sesshoumaru was insatiable and his lovemaking had spoiled her for almost anyone else. She wanted him- all of him, in no small way. Gasping and looking forward to the wild and wonton fucking he always delivered, as his tongue licked her taunt nipple, Komara promised herself to try harder to get a ring from him. Oh yes, this was what she wanted. Perhaps it was time she took a gamble and stopped taking that damned birth control. Smiling slyly for a second to herself at the thought, before Sesshoumaru proceeded to not let her think at all.

One week before Christmas, Kagome watched Souta board the flight, both of their faces tight, holding back the anguish of separation to come for the next few years. Kagome at least was trying to smile fully- Souta made no such effort.

As the final boarding call for Air Japan was announced, Kagome crumbled. "Oh Souta," she gasped as her arms hugged him tightly. "Take care ok- be good, do well and don't forget to call and write to me!"

"I will sis." Souta's voice cracked, belying his stoic look. "You promise me you are going to be ok, and to let me know if you are not! Please. I worry about you."

Kagome looked up proudly into his eyes. He was such a great boy- some day some very lucky girl was going to make the best choice of her life and marry him. Her eyes watered. "I will," she promised.

Souta boarded, and Kagome watched feeling a sense of loss and disconnect as she watched the airplane take to the air. She was finally truly alone.

Kagome was exhausted. Hard decisions about selling the shrine had been made in her mind over the past few months, and she had hardly slept all week until Souta had finally left. Today was her day to do the miko at Higarashi shrine. It had surprisingly been a busy day. Now just as she was planning to close up, one more had entered. The lady was dressed in a very expensive looking suiting outfit that had the unusual cut and fit that made it racy even as a suit. The long long jet black hair was shiny and provided a wonderful frame for her absolutely gorgeous black Asian eyes and unusually full mouth. Her skin glowed like a pearl, and her nose was small but had a sharpness to it rare amongst the features here Japan. She was beautiful. She went up to pray, lit incense and then made a beeline towards Kagome who was hoping she would leave after praying.

"Miko Samma?," the tinkling voice asked.

Kagome just nodded a yes. Then asked, "May I help you?"

The lady looked embarrassed. Then as if making a decision, her face showed resolve. "I wish to ask if it is possible for you to do a consultation for me. You see, I have ….." looking more embarrassed now she continued, "been hoping to get pregnant for some time now, and yet it has not occurred. I am uncertain why, but would you have a charm or prayer that I may use to hasten a conception?"

Kagome looked at the woman. She was instantly sorry for this beautiful creature's plight. Poor dear woman was having fertility troubles, and even in modern day Japan, the plight of the infertile woman was not one to wish upon anyone.

"Have you and your husband been…..er….intimate?"

The woman seemed to hesitate, then nodded the affirmative.

"Have you been tested at a clinic?" Kagome asked next. She would hate to have someone rely on magic and mantra when the best answers were with modern science in this day and age.

Again the woman hesitated. Then she sadly said, "No, my…..husband will not let for testing."

Kagome was annoyed. What the hell sort of man let his wife suffer the brands of infertility in this society with out trying to test to see if he was the cause? "Well, why will he not!?" Kagome hotly questioned, letting her emotions roll over her. "He does want a child a well doesn't he?"

But it was that one second flash of guilt and something else upon the woman's face that stopped her. Her gaze next bounced to the woman's hand – which was unadorned with either engagement or wedding ring.

Kagome had been naive once, and had had another similar situation where the female had latter come to thank her for her charm and regale her on the not so very funny story of how the pregnancy had got her then man she had wanted. She had not thought of it too often, unless suspicious, and right now she suddenly was.

The lovely woman hesitated, "I think he wants a child" she finally said. But Kagome wasn't buying it. She did not want any part in getting some woman a husband because of a child. But it was bad business to get angry as a miko unless there was full call to do so. Right now, it would be better to be smart about this. If not her, someone else would help this woman, and the poor sod in question would have to choose between leaving a bastard in life or marriage. Something about her times with InuYasha made her angry about children born out of wedlock.

"Are you married to this man?" Kagome calmly asked.

The woman hesitated, and seemed to decide to lie.

Before she could, Kagome said, " I can help you, but I will need to meet this man and have him willingly give me something of his. Money, hair, cloths, anything- but it must come from his hand to mine." Kagome wanted to know the woman's name so she could sort out this mess. "What is your name if I may ask?"

"Ko. My name is Ko. " The lady said, " and I will try to get my husband here to meet you."

"But how will I know it is him and hold onto the object he gives me?" Kagome asked.

"I will have him bring to you my scarf that I wear today. If you can recall its appearance, then you will know him. But Miko Samma, please – please do not discuss this pregnancy matter with him, for he is not fully into it as I.. Will you promise me this as a miko?" Ko asked.

Kagome was furious. She didn't want to, but some warning was better than nothing, and perhaps a weaker charm could be made so the effect would be negligible. She nodded, but did not voice her acceptance.

It seemed to appease Ko's hesitance.

"Then I will have him here hopefully before Christmas holidays. He can be tough to deal with sometimes, and I can't promise he'll come in a week." With that Ko let Kagome study her exquisite scarf, and departed to go do some shopping for Christmas.

"Sesshoumaru!" Komara happily greeted as she came upon the table he had reserved for their lunch. He had been trying to slowly dislodge her from his life, but in such a way that they would be alright if any social meetings occurred. When you lived this long, you could not keep on making enemies for small nothings.

"I had the most amazing consultation with a miko. It really was amazing, and she seemed to have some deep insight, you know….."

Sesshoumaru had stopped drinking his wine and his gaze and concentration had zeroed in onto Komara's long winded story. The word "miko" had not been said to him by a human in ages. That it was now was unusual enough to make him alert. Komara noticed his alertness increase to the word miko. _Well Well, it is unusual yet interesting that it seems Sesshoumaru believes in some sort of things………_

"I had to ask her about you my dear, and ……" but before Komara could finish, Sesshoumaru had her wrist in a death grip so tight, had jerked her using that hold slightly towards him, as he growled out a low

"Why!??!" 

Komara's intuition niggled the interesting question of what was it that bothered him so much. That she had spoke about him, or that it was a miko that she had spoken to. What was he- a vampire after all?

"Why what?"she asked perplexed, "and your hurting my hand Sesshouamru!"

In response, his grip tightened as he bit out, a fury burned in his molten gaze, _"Why would you ……" _but then he suddenly kept quiet. His eyes blanked and his face also became emotionless.

_Very very interesting, _Komara thought to herself.

"To see if we would have a future together and if you have a bright future." Komara answered with a false look of vapid innocence. When Sesshoumaru seemed too stunned to respond, Komara continued, "Miko Samma was very interested to meet you – I am not sure why. But if you go, I forgot to give her my scarf, the one I promised to give her for the consultation. Would you mind dropping it to her Sesshoumaru? If you go….." Komara trailed off. She had planned to get him there in another way, but his interest and irritation had changed her track. He would go out of interest to see the miko……_and then she would have her charm_.

Sesshoumaru studied her silently for a while, letting the silence stretch out. "Which shrine is this miko in, Komara?" he finally asked.

"The Higarashi shrine here in Tokyo." She carefully watched to see his response, but it was as if a mask had settled over his face, hiding everything and every thought.

Komara did not believe in vampires, but she would find out from the miko why her Sesshoumaru seemed to peeved off- and if it was about mikos and magic.

Sesshoumaru found the lunch interminable. He wanted to lift his finger and cut Komara's head from her body. Instead he had listened to her tale of her visit with the Higarashi shrine's miko. The last miko he had known from that shrine had been Kikyou's sister, Kaede. After the battle of the Sikon Jewel, Higarashi shrine had become the one shrine he could not enter- no matter what. While it was never comfortable for a demon to be on holy soil, he could tolerate the pains enough to enter any holy site- except that of Higarashi shrine. And that had only been noted after the fall of Naraku. And now, there was a miko there that was interested in him. Interesting. He had once recently looked into ownership of the shrine, but had found nothing of interest nor import. Since then, he had not given the shrine a second thought unless he was bored. It had been years since he had tried to enter that area- perhaps now that he had an open invite he should try once more. It would be interesting to see who this miko was and if she could explain to him the pull that Higarashi shrine held for him all these years.

He carelessly took the scarf Komara handed to him, and paid the bill for lunch. It was time to give Komara walking orders. It was really too bad, for he needed to find a new bedmate and right before the holidays. However it would be wise to stop seeing Komara from hence forth. Jaken could have the pleasure of returning her stuff and changing the locks- Sesshoumaru did not want to see her again.

It was two days before Christmas and while Komara was long gone, there had been no replacement for her in his bed. **_And _**he still had not gone to see the miko. He did not know why he was putting it off.

Then again- he did. He went to his desk and once more opened up the manila folder that held the picture that had stunned and haunted him. That along with several other documents of his most recent purchase- a Christmas gift to himself. The Higarashi Shrine.

He once again had had his investigators look into Higarashi shrine and its miko. What they had found had turned his world upside down. The shrine was found to be put up for sale just recently, and the owner miko…… well her identity was one that had kept him awake and pacing several nights.

Sesshoumaru had acted swiftly once he heard about the planned sale. He had bought the shrine, outdoing any other bids; for some reason realizing that it should remain a shrine at least as long as he was alive. He would not have some sky scraper sit upon that site. That and he had found **_her_** when he had looked into who the miko of the shrine was after his last conversation with Komara. He had then spent several days to reassure the preservationists that he would not convert the site – and would let the shrine run itself with the current miko if she was willing. He hoped she was, and had been supremely satisfied to see her stay

It appeared the miko had been heartbroken to have to sell, and more than happy that her family would be allowed to keep working there, though no longer owning the site. Her only stipulation had been that the artifacts belonged to her, and were not with the shrine's sale, and that if the site remained a shrine she would keep them there. He had no choice but to agree, but was curious - _what artifacts belonged to this shrine_?

. It was only that he had yet to pay the little miko a visit to get his questions answered- and that in itself was unlike him.

Kagome hummed silently to herself as she finished sweeping the shrine's outer verandah. It was great exercise and the quiet of the morning was restorative. It was the day before Christmas, and being a weekend, there was no work, and so was assigned as her "miko" day. She had stitched her self a fully white miko outfit, refusing to wear the traditional red on white one that would make her recall Kikyou in any way or form. Her hair had grown long, as haircuts were costly affairs when you were penny pinching, and after the Shrine sale had gone through, she had become too accustomed to the weight of it to want to cut it. At least the shrine's sale had stopped the financial terror, and paid off all of her debts. It also allowed her to live at the shrine, and work there- and so she had given up the apartment and moved to the house she had grown up in. The ghosts of yesterday were her companions, but Kagome was no longer feeling hopeless. Perhaps one day, after Souta was done, she could go back to school herself. Perhaps someday there would be someone else to love and be happy with. And this bright cold misty dawn morning seemed to hold all that promise for her. She somehow felt happy today. And she wanted to keep feeling that way.

It was then that she felt a presence. An aura so powerful, that it was like the ones of demon lords back in the feudal era. Her whole body stilled – it had been so long since she had felt anything like this. Jerking her head toward the crest of the steps that led to the shrine, Kagome dropped her broom and hurried over to see who or what approached. Her heart beat stalled for a second, and her eyes began to focus upon a man who stood at the bottom of the steps – looking up at the shrine, and on her appearance, at her. He then began to step up to the first step- hesitating, as if unsure he would be allowed- and when nothing stopped him from going forward- he stared back at her seemingly surprised, as he continued to climb. Kagome did not easily recognize him from this distance, though something rang in her memory of his familiarity.

Sesshoumaru had decided at dawn that this was the day to pay both the Higarashi shrine and its priestess a visit. It was unlike him to feel so uncertain or so concerned, but that is what he felt upon planning his visit. There was a sensation in his gut that he couldn't put a finger on, but it was time to face it.

He had parked the car at the base of the shrines steps. Staring up at the Higarashi shrine, he had been deciding whether to take that first step of not, when she had appeared. His vision was undiminished as it had been when he had been the lord of the west, and he took in carefully every one of her features. She was ridiculously petite and slender. Gaunt almost. Her eyes, still that midnight blue, held shadows of sorrow that made them haunting and beautiful. Her hair was not loose nor short as she had worn it in the past, but long- braided back into a slightly sloppy fat plait with loose tendrils flying away. It was so thick and untamed, yet framed the perfect heart shape of her face to show its delicacy. She had changed. Yet she had not. Age had been kind to her, for she had not shown any signs of aging over the past several hundred years- and that was what stumped him. It was the same question that nagged him when he had first been shown her picture by his investigator and had felt that instant recognition. One rarely forgot a creature such as her when she had accomplished things even demons could not. _Was it really her?_ The uncertainty, and for some reason the thought that he would be disappointed if it were not her, his brother's priestess, were what had held him back. He did not comprehend the emotions, nor like what he was willing to discern of them. Though he wanted to zip up the stairs with youkai speed, there were eyes watching, and it would not do. Holding back his impatience, he began to restrain his natural abilities so that he could climb the steps at human speed. The sooner he got to the top, the sooner he and Kagome Higarashi could talk, and he could decide what he wanted to do.

As the man climbed half way up, Kagome's miko senses flared to life, after nearly 5 years of dormancy. She was stunned and frightened. Then she saw them, the golden eyes that coolly looked up to ascertain if she was still there. Her mind stripped the black suit, the civilized veneer upon him and superimposed his true form of demonic might. Her whole being became cold, as her mind caught up finally- her eyes seeing the image superimposed upon him of that being in a white hakama, armor and long silken white hair. _"Sesshoumaru……."_ She had thought it mentally, but obviously had spoken aloud. He heard- for even from so far away, she saw him sharply look up, his mouth tightening with resolve, and something more frightening lighting his eyes, as he started to speed up his ascent.

_Run Kagome…_… her mind told her. But how? How did one run from Sesshoumaru? A hysterical giggle helplessly burst out. Maybe she really needed to rest. This could not possibly be Sesshoumaru. Why would he not have come earlier if it was so? She turned thinking to get away, but it was just too much. The stress of life, of Souta leaving, of finally selling the one thing she had never wished to let go, and now to come face to face with ….the past. Kagome did what any other sensible girl in her shoes might have done. She fainted.

Sesshouarmu was uncertain, but the miko looked stunned. More so than he. Was it possible she had not known of him? That Komara had not meant anything much when she had mentioned the miko's interest in him? It was too bad, for he was now very very interested to see what the miko had to say. He saw her sway, and realized that perhaps she may faint, and giving up this stupid game, rushed the steps to catch her, just in time to prevent her glancing her head off the wicked old stones of her courtyard. Silently studying the feather weight miko in his hands, he grimly picked her up and carried her into the building that looked to be the home. Setting her softly upon a very thread bare sofa, he went to get some water and scope out the house and shrine site swiftly. He found nothing of notice. Very carefully he closed the gates of the shrine, indicating it was closed. Unusual, but then, it was his shrine to do with as he would.

Then he went back to get the water and see if Kagome had awoken.

She had not, so he used the water as an effective medicine, pouring it onto her.

The miko sputtered and groused loudly as she jolted awake. "What the !" then froze. She saw him, and her eyes grew like saucers. He could smell her fear- like a living thing, before she settled, and banked it.

Tremulously, she asked hesitantly, "Is that you Lord Sesshoumaru?"

His eyes seemed to blaze at her question and Kagome tried to shrink back into the couch. "So it is you- Kagome." He was seated upon the small coffee table opposing the sofa, regally as if upon a throne, as he looked down at her. "How is it priestess, that you exist in this time and age, so very long from when we last met?"

Kagome drew in a sharp breath. _He did not know_? Sesshoumaru did not know about the well? Well, perhaps he had not fully understood. Only InuYasha had been across the time barrier, and now it did not matter, for the well would never work for her again. But she did not relish trying to explain this to Sesshoumaru.

Wetting the dry lips, her mouth suddenly parched, she stalled for a second. But he was watching her, clearly expecting an answer. "The well." She began, "it was a portal for me from this time to InuYasha and the feudal era."

His eyes did not show surprise, but grew bright with full understanding. Almost to himself, he whispered, "So you are of this time originally……"

"Yes." She nodded. "Somehow the Sikon no Tama was within my body, reincarnated in my form. This got me pulled through the well one day by Mistress Centipede……."

Hours later Sesshouamaru's questions abated. Kagome was sobbing softly. Her recollection had opened wounds that had festered in silence these past few years. He now fully comprehended. He had seen the girl travel through the well, but never having followed, did not know from whence she originally came. He now understood she was not of his own time but from here. That she was the Sikon no Tama's holder in this time- and his keen mind explained to himself, that the likelihood of him stumbling upon her early in this time and altering events would have been disastrous, and likely why the fates had never allowed him entry into the Higarashi Shrine till today. Kagome had not understood why he could not enter when he had put the question to her, clearing any of her own magic as the cause of that restriction.

Kagome would normally never do such a thing, but she could not help it any longer. He was here. He knew her from long ago, and connected her to the fact that what she had done, what she had sacrificed were real. There had been days these last few years when she had wondered. Surging out of the couch, she fell onto him, hugging his form all while tears fell like a rainstorm from her eyes. She felt the rigid shock that froze him with her actions. But Kagome was beyond herself. She had never thought to be so happy to see Sesshoumaru in all her life. It was over in a minute. She fully realized whom she was blathering upon, and just how unwelcome her behavior would be to him, and flushing at such human emotional outpour onto InuYasha's stoic youkai brother, she pushed off him, to sit silently once more on the couch. Head held down, she muttered an "I'm sorry about that…."

She looked up then, at him. Expecting to see distain, she instead saw carefully banked understanding. He merely nodded his assent for her actions. Then looked about the threadbare house. "Do you live alone?" he asked emotionlessly. Kagome tensed. What would be the safe answer to that question. But she knew he could smell a lie miles away, and in reality, toward the end, he had been her ally and aid in their battle against Naraku. She had somehow always felt she could trust him

"Yes." She finally answered.

He looked disbelieving. "You mean to tell me you have no family nor friend? That there is no one else here?"

What could she say? Nothing, so she stayed mum, holding his gaze so he understood.

He was suddenly furious. She had saved this world. She must have forgone much time in her youth to be there with InuYasha all those times, and had anyone here been there for her? A young helpless ningen like her was living alone in this decrepit old shrine? It was inappropriate. She was not some bedroom hussy or feminist warrior. She was an innocent who held immense power. But an innocent is what Kagome had always been. Defenseless in moments that were frightening. Sesshoumaru could not categorize Kagome with other modern girls or women he had come to know and accept in this day and age. He had known her long ago, and in his mind, it was in that time slot she would fit. As a woman who was precious and innocent, though bold and more than capable in her own way, she was one who should be protected by one capable of doing so at all times, just in case she needed it. It looked like she desperately needed it now. He suddenly recalled his investigators stories of how heartbroken the miko was over the shrine's impending sale. He had seen the empty refridgerator, the silent and worn looking house, and faded clothing that adorned her. Life had not been kind to her here. Indeed, she did not look to be very happy in this time in comparison, though no dark demon terrorized her life here.

Kagome shifted uneasily, sensing his acute anger. Though in face and form he was emotionless, the aura of rage tightly reigned filled the room. Then he calmed a bit, once again looking at her.

"I have closed the shrine for today, would you like to come with me for some lunch?"

Kagome started, then stared. It was just too strange how modern and human that invitation sounded. It was not one the Sesshoumaru of old would have issued to her. With that realization came the thought, that he was different, and Kagome finally saw the changes that should have been obvious. His glorious hair was short. Very smart looking, sharp and modern. It suited him, giving him the look of powerful handsome modern men. He wore cloths that screamed of money and privilege, though she had never known Sesshoumaru to not have those. His markings were gone, as was the armor and the swords. Her mind reminding her that she could not let him discover the swords of destiny she had hidden beneath the shrine. She had a hundred questions to ask him, and her stomach gave a rumble, announcing its stand on the invite. She blushed in mortification, and was stunned to see Sesshoumaru grin in amusement. It lit his face with such humor and warmth that she almost swayed into him once more. Enchanted by this approachable and endearing side she had never thought to see of his.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, "why don't you wear something else and we'll go get something to feed that hungry beast." Then he stood, looking down at her, "I'll be waiting outside."

Scrambling to her feet, her sluggish mind finally working, she said, "Wait!- Sesshoumaru, I …….I am supposed to work today as the miko of this shrine. I can't just close up and go out, I have an agreement with the owner……"

He had turned to look at her, and had an amused look upon his face, and once more just the sheer beauty of him silenced her tongue. Nodding, he answered, "I know- I am the owner and I say you are having lunch with me today. Now no more questions or stalling, hurry up. I dislike waiting."

She scrambled up the stairs, a millions questions upon her tongue.

Ensconced into a luxurious private booth at Japan's most swanky restaurant, Kagome patted her full stomach as she sighed with contentment. Sesshoumaru had become prince charming- well, one with a feral grin and occasionally growl, but her hero none the less. He had insisted she eat before any and all questions, and knowing better than to disagree with the likes of him, particularly when she had sensed earlier that he was still full youkai, she had stuffed herself. She hoped he did not think poorly of her amount of intake.

His golden gaze was still powerful, beckoning waiters and conveying his every thought with out him ever saying a word. In this he was as he had a always been. But his eyes, they seemed hard somehow, though in the past they had never been soft, Kagome felt him to be jaded. The only time his gaze appeared to soften was when it alighted upon her, but that must have been her imagination.

She waited patiently for him to grant her permission to start her questions, but he instead looked at her, and said, "We will go to my home tonight, and you can ask your questions there- I will not have anything possibly overheard here." She nodded mute agreement, though she had never been to any man's home before. Somehow the modern connotations with that statement – to my home tonight- floated about her mind as she followed Sesshoumaru's broad Armani encased back towards the lobby. She was a bit stunned when he held out her worn and tattered coat for her to slip into- and then when he slipped his own hands into her own as he led her towards his car. This modern Sesshoumaru was just a bit much to assimilate for her knowing him as she had last seen him, fighting Naraku in the Feudal era. _What several centuries could do to tame a man, huh? _She thought to herself.

She soon found herself warm and comfortable in his Porsche, as he smoothly and swiftly drove through Tokyo's traffic. Sessshoumaru drove, Kagome decided, like he had moved in days gone by. So smoothly and fluidly, yet belying what appeared unhurried, his speed was phenominal. And she felt not one pitch or bump as he did it. She stared at his hands, long tapered fingers and beautiful hands- but no sign of his talons. The markings still had not shown upon his face. Did he hide them, or had he changed? Too contented to break the pleasant silence that filled the car she decided to wait as he had advised to ask him her questions. The full belly and the sudden day of rest were making her realize how much she desperately needed to sleep, and slowly, Kagome despite telling herself to not give in, nodded off. Her head drooped to the side, her face relaxed of her worries. She did not realize that her mind knew that by Sesshoumaru, not much could harm her but him- and against that there was not much she could do. It had decided that this was the safest time for her to let go of all her woes and catch up on her much ignored sleep needs.

Sesshoumaru watched her as she fell into peaceful slumber. The dark circles about her eyes, the fatigue of her aura all told him this was much needed rest. Reaching his private parking for his large private home on the outskirts of Tokyo, Sesshoumaru parked his car and turned to stare at the innocent who trusted him enough to sleep so at his side. Though the age of his ability to slaughter at will was long gone, he had developed like the humans to adapt to the new. He was ruthless in his business practice, and as long as he could recall, no woman had been safe around him if she had been beautiful. And the miko, despite her weariness had always been lovely. Though he had been loath to admit it, even in the age of InuYasha, she had drawn his eye- when his distain for all things human had tainted his view. Now, after centuries of living amongst them, and becoming decidedly selfish in the ways he used humans to his own ends, he was suddenly upset that Kagome could trust him so completely. _Would she have accepted lunch and a trip home with just anyone?_ Though his heart knew her decisions were because of her relationship with whom and what he was, the thought would not leave, and the fact that he cared about the answer only made him more angry.

But still, not for all the anger in the world would he disturb her when it was so obvious she was exhausted. And he in turn did not quite want to go through her own question and answer session just yet. No, he'd let her sleep. With that decision, he climbed out of his car, and carefully went over to pick up the little miko, as he carried her into his home, and once more into his life.

Kagome jolted awake from her nightmare. Confusion reigned supreme when she found herself in a world that was unrecognizable. Panic fluttered in her stomach as she looked around and found herself ensconced in a large king size bed covered with white and taupe silk. The room was well furnished, in expensive taste, but with clean lines and an air of roominess. She was still in her white hakama, but her hair was unbound, and the long coil of it tangled about her. She felt rejuvenated, and on trying to recall why, she remembered Sesshoumaru. _Was this his home?_ She blushed. Had she fallen asleep on the Lord of the Western Lands? And he had let her? Getting up, she soon found the door to the massive bath, and began washing up. Her hair needed a good wash, and seeing how luxurious Sesshoumaru's bath was, she could not pass up the chance. She carefully locked the door, undressed and began to bathe.

An hour later, when she stepped out, shriveled like a prune, but ecstatic with her decadent experience. She was surprised to find a beautiful but simple navy blue traditional kimono laid out upon her bed. It was just her size too. Unable to stop wanting to look her best when she did meet Sesshoumaru again, she quickly changed into it, and brushed her hair, quickly braiding it back into a simple fat plait. Then she stepped out of her room, carefully looking about to find her way to the steps and descended down to find the master of the house.

Jaken hummed to himself, letting down his usual guard while he cooked Lord Sesshoumaru's meal. It was Christmas Eve and the usual entourage of servants were off. And while he enjoyed the pleasure of servants, it was a relief to be able to let down his guard and just be himself on days such as these. Though Jaken had to admit that for a lesser demon like himself, the future was much more pleasant, he did so miss the past. And today, it was just him and his lord- just like the good ole days.

So unexpected was the human's entrance into the kitchen that he almost dropped the heated skillet upon his foot.

"Ahhg! What are you doing here?!" he shouted, belatedly realizing that he did not have his spell of disguise on today, having not expected any visitors.

_He was in **full** demon form!_ Sesshoumaru samma would _kill _him! Gathering his wits and becoming belligerent by the second, Jaken narrowed his gaze and began to advance on the equally stunned human. Though, the girl seemed oddly familiar.

"Who are you?! And what are you doing with in this house?" he questioned as he advanced. Thought to be honest, the human did not seem fearful in the least, and after her initial surprise, seemed to be accepting the fact that there was a small green toad like creature talking to her very well. Infact, she seemed to be happy to see him….

Kagome was initially taken aback with the falling skillet and Jaken's initial shouts, but once she saw _who_ it was, her heart was suddenly light. It was so good to see those beings from that time, so long ago- even Jaken.

"_Jaken_…" Kagome whispered to herself. Still reliving the past as she saw him.

"Eh?" Jaken stopped his tirade midstride when he realized _the woman knew him_.

Gathering his wits, he looked a little harder, and gasped. _IT was InuYasha's priestess!_ That human girl who had been a thorn in his lord's side with the Tetsiega!

"You!" he bit out in fury. "What are you doing here?! Sesshoumaru Samma will not tolerate the likes of you here!"

Kagome couldn't help it. Even after so long, Jaken was the same. It was in some odd way such a relief to her that it was so. It was a comfort that he had remained a constant- despite it not being a likable one. It was then that she fully realized exactly how much her heart and soul had longed for entry through the well, back to the feudal era. Just how much she had missed that time and its beings so. For never would she have ever thought that Sesshoumaru and Jaken could have brought her to tears of poignant memory and happiness.

And the tears did flow, as she stood there watching Jaken harp and shout, a silly grin alighted upon her face, while a river hot tears streamed from her eyes helplessly.

_That_ was how Sesshoumaru found her. Jaken's shouts had alerted him to the possibility of his guest having come upon him, and he had hurriedly finished up the phone conversation with his foreign business counterpart, before swiftly using demon speed to find Kagome. But he felt her poignant air of memory and sadness, with that helpless glow of happiness intermingled before he actually saw her. The look upon her face was enough to arrest him before he reached her- to stare and wonder what gave her such an ethereal look- and that too when she watched Jaken.

Then his mind came up with the explanation, one so sorrowful and poignant, he did not wish to dwell upon it. It was after many years that he had someone he felt safe bringing into his hold to know of him. That it coincided with this holiday season – that for some reason he had loathed to spend alone, and now with her here, he no longer would- made him step up and clear his throat loudly.

Jaken immediately stuttered, saw his lord and sputtered, then shut up. Obviously Lord Sesshoumaru was unsurprised by the human miko's presence here, and that was enough to silence the protests Jaken had planned to spew. It was then that he saw Sesshoumaru redirect his gaze to study the miko, and that Jaken himself saw her catch herself. But the appearance of her face; of one lost for so long whom had finally found their way home, had him gaping.

Kagome caught herself as she saw Sesshoumaru. Quickly wiping her tears, her eyes dried. The over running gamut of emotions shut down, and she suddenly felt silly.

Turning around she was saying a teary "Merry Christmas, Sesshoumaru." Before she began to wonder is an ancient feudal demon warlord would celebrate something so modern. Then she ceased to think, as her mind took in the fact that Sesshoumaru currently had his long silken locks, the expected white hakama and the sash about his waist. But what he lacked was the armor he had always worn. That and the swords upon his person. Somehow, he seemed more relaxed- and the lack of powerful weapons and armor did nothing but enhance exactly how handsome this male demon was. She almost forgot to breath. "InuYasha would kill me for that thought !" she found herself thinking, and it was enough so make her feel silly. A soft grin lit the sorrow of memories away from her face, and she made herself focus upon the demon in front of her.

His crescent moon marked his forehead, and the magenta stripes once more covered his face and arms.

"So, you are still a full demon Lord Sesshoumaru?" she found herself asking. Then she shut up, recalling he may still have much of his former personality and dislikes if so much remained the same still.

Sesshoumaru indeed narrowed his gaze. Instinct told him she was trust worthy, and had already known. He merely nodded watching her carefully. She did not ask anything further, but sniffed the air appreciatively before asking Jaken, "Is there something to eat?"

His faithful retainer gaped at the miko as though she were some ghost. Sesshouamru smiled. The toad was probably having a coronary trying to figure out how she still existed. Taking a hold of Kagome's hand, and turning her toward the small alcove table, he grabbed her some of the food before he indicated to her to take a seat.

He didn't know what had him feeling so strange- not did he understand why he leaned in close to her ear, his breath tickling the loose strands of her drying long hair. He breathed in her scent- and found oddly that he was profoundly pleased to not that it had not changed since the centuries. She still smelled of mountain air, jasmine and spring after winter. Odd, she had no scent of decay that other humans carried. He felt her shiver at his nearness, and then further with the touch of his breath. He softly whispered, "Sit Kagome." As he pulled out the seat for her to sit in….. Watching her hesitate and look uncertainly at him, before she slowly lowered herself to sit, he suddenly felt as if he had found his own underbelly. It was not a pleasant feel- yet somehow he was unwilling to cover it just yet. Placing the plate of food in front of her, while he seated himself and told Jaken to put together more for him later.

She gaped at him as he downed the large traditional Japanese meal, and he had to admit, that human way of eating was an acquired taste- however, one could not go about wildly hunting in this day and age, and it was yet another turn of time to show how he had adapted. He had likely scoffed at any such food in the past when she had last known him.

He watched her initially slowly pick at her food, then as she grew more comfortable, eat with relish. Watching her relax pleased him. Already a nights rest had faded the dark circles of her eyes. However the shadows of sadness remained- those he was less certain if he wanted to change- or even if he could. But one thing he did know was that the little miko was going no where unless it was by his decree. There was no InuYasha here to claim her, and obviously no other family nor friend to stay by her side. There was no one. And oddly that angered him. Banking those emotions, he waited for her to finish up her food, before gently guiding her to the living room.

The day had flown by, and Kagome could hardly believe that the day she had most dreaded since Souta's departure had turned out to be one she finally had felt herself come alive. She shyly looked at Sesshoumaru's back, as he finished returning the weapons they had practiced in his dojo, back to the wall. It had seemed to strange to hold the crossbow and arrow after so long. She had worried she may not know how to any longer, but under his gentle persistent pressure, found that it was not so.

Sesshoumaru. The demon was much the same. Not much had changed, and despite the veneer of sophistication and human like behavior Kagome had found the demon she had once known. While Sesshoumaru seemed more civilized, beneath the surface of it, he was still the feudal lord. He just no longer cut heads to get what he wanted, he pursued it with persistence and with a fierceness that she knew no human could resist.

She had watched him make his business calls and social calls, finagling exactly what he wanted from everybody. Appeared that times may change, but the innate sense of knowing others had to kow to to you did not. And Kowtow they did. Kagome was not surprised; his looks, intelligence, money and power would be hard to resist. And that was what Kagome was starting to worry about.

For she found that even she was having some thoughts that InuYasha would have beat her for. She was only human. And Sesshoumaru's attraction was not one she had ever been blind to – even back in the day. But to see him here, in modern day Japan, and to see him function just so well in this setting, amidst the citadel of his success was enough to turn any girls head…….and more than once, Kagome had felt herself fighting the urge to get lost in his golden eyes or to blush. It was doubly compounded when the demon in question was treating you like a fragile princess, with no other person around- well except for Jaken, as they were today. But knowing him as she did, she knew it would be pure stupidity to think this demon man would ever think of her as something special- and she was not the kind of girl to want to be anything else. Least of all with the half brother of the man she had loved so long long ago.

Yeah!- Chapter one Done. Happy Holidays my FF friends. I shall upload again come the new year, and complete this on Valentine's day. TPOD should also soon be updated in the new year. Just having a time of it getting our dearest Rin back in the game smoothly- and of course working out Kagome's grand entrance into the Western lands... well perhaps that won't be so smooth- but that's why I have the issues... so thanks for bearing with me. I will get to replying to all your great reviews then too. Thank you- they do make me go on.

Seshaddict.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own InuYasha nor do I make any profit from this story. THe InuYasha characters and story line belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I have merely superimposed my own story over this.

_**TURNS OF TIME – Chapter 2**_

_**New Year's Eve:**_

How quickly did one descend into the pits of infactuation?- he pondered, as he looked at the beautiful girl_… no, woman_, in front of him.

Kagome was dressed in a Worth dress of sheer whitish crepe silk with threads of silver interwoven through. The miko was a vision to behold. The dress shimmered – and the girl in it looked ethereal. He had always known she was beautiful. He was not an unobservant demon by any means- but he had been stunned despite that knowledge, when he had seen her shyly come towards him in the foyer before setting off for the evening's New Year Gala that he was attending.

_Those revealing uniforms did no justice to her in the past._ he thought.

Despite not being one to repeat thoughts in his head- such verbal thinking about the miko had been going round an round the TaiYoukai's brain for the past 10 minutes now. Deciding enough was enough- for he was not some inexperienced pup to feel so off balanced by a mere human girl, Sesshoumaru forced his mind to stop thinking about how lovely she looked.

Finally looking at her seated opposite to him in the limo, as the chauffer wove expertly through Tokyo traffic, he belatedly realized that the vision was fidgeting under his intense gaze- and not recognizing his admiration. He bent over her to take both her hands into his own, pulling her towards him. She was resolutely staring at something on his suit's collar- not making eye contact. As he looked down on her shiny hair - Sesshoumaru wanted to betray his emotionless face and laugh. After all she was the first woman in history that had turned _him _down when he had requested her to accompany him to a socialite New Year party.

He did not know why- but he could not help himself. After the week he spent with her over Christmas, she had become the only female he could think of wanting to take on his arm to the event. And she had been the only one recalcitrant and resistant to going. _Why?- Well – because she was Kagome._

**Flashback-** _**Two Days Earlier…..**_

"I don't belong at socialite balls Sesshoumaru…." She had laughed at his offer after a stunned moment of silence. "I don't even have a gown to my wardrobe- and I absolutely refuse to go with a man who will put me in the shade."

Her tinkled response only made her that much more of a challenge to him. _Really –_ the girl understood nothing about a man's psyche.

"I promise I will go ...slumming... so that you are not in anyone's shade."

"_**Slumming?!-"**_ disbelief rolled over her facial expression- "_How do you even know that word?._...It was just so wrong to hear Sesshoumaru – _the_ Lord Sesshoumaru – say such a word.

"_And_ you still would look better than me." She had huffed out finally- turning her head away in a show of irritation.

"How so?" he had blandly asked- wondering what other thoughts ran through her mind at this time.

She suddenly turned back to him then to give an response, but found herself accidentally nose to nose- and all together too close to his lips and gaze for comfort.

"_Ahhh_……." She blushed furiously and turned away, franticaaly flapping her hands to balance her prior rapid unbalanced attempt to move away from him.. "Gommen- gommen, I … I didn't mean top get so close."

He had merely stared at her- well aware that emotionless silence on his part would keep her talking to fill in the void. It was a technique perfected in the Western Courts where intrigue and political chess were played as a part of daily life- and where flirtation was a political art-form in and of itself. This human girl would be no match for such a strategy and for such practiced an opponent. Shesshoumaru suppressed the urge to smirk- her innocence was shining and pure when compared to his own _experience_.

Kagome fidgeted under the unwavering golden gaze. _Why is he staring..?_

She blushed and saw he noticed it- which only had her fidgeting more.

Sesshoumaru let a moment pass- before he decided to lighten the mood. She was getting all too uncomfortable with his attention.

"Kagome?- Why are you …_twitching_?" he timed the question just right. He had somehow learnt just what made her tick in the span of one week. How was that? He didn't know- and right now it was of no importance.

"Whaaa ?…" Kagome stopped herself from picking at her dress- noticed her hands were indeed moving about – and felt embarrassed all over again- but this was not the uncomfortable awareness of moments before. No, this she could handle.

"Sesshoumaru! I am _**not **_twitching. _I'm Fidgiting_! There is a difference." She huffed out turning, to once again to find herself in very close proximity to his intense golden gaze. She fell silent once more. Something very much like magic was afoot in the air about them…… for it had her staring into his magnificent eyes in awe- unaware that his own eyes had begun to smolder in a way quite hazardous to any young woman.

Sesshoumaru looked into eyes so Navy blue that her emotional turmoil turned them almost black. He felt his scalp start to tingle, and then slowly the sensation spread to the rest of him. And as the tingle spread- he could feel himself reacting to the attraction this human woman wove around him. Oddly breathless, he ever so softly asked her "_And why do you fidgit Kagome?"_

Kagome couldn't answer. If he had had a blade to her throat she would still have never found her voice. _He is so amazing_…. was all her mind was capable of thinking right now. Her eyes could not look away, her mouth was suddenly all too dry. Her cheeks warmed to a burn, and Kagome felt as if her body was humming with anticipation and attraction that spread slowly through her- gripping her so that she could not look away. She was a prisoner in his golden gaze. Ever so slightly she started to lean towards him…

_Even InuYasha had not had this effect on me….._

That thought was like cold water over her. It instantly brought her back to reality. The hum dimmed and she felt like a traitor. The blush stayed- but the warmth dissipated, and she felt cold all over suddenly. Goosebumps of horror dotted her arm. _What did she think she was doing? What did she believe this could end as?_

She was no long some giddy school girl to go crushing on a guy. And Sesshoumaru was not some highschool guy. _He was __**not**__ InuYasha_. He was not someone you just crushed about and walked away unscathed. No- he was a feudal demon lord who was intelligent and powerful enough to live amongst the very humans he so very much detested. With InuYasha, she had spent her time wondering if he could ever also love her. With Sesshoumaru she already knew loving her - and even the possibility of loving a human were not intrinsic to his person.

The way he had been treating her so out of character that she had lost track of the fact that he was the very same demon who scorned InuYasha's own love for a human priestess. That was why it was so odd with how she was perceiving his behavior towards her. But then, maybe the problem was her perception of things. Sesshoumaru had not made any declarations of changing his outlooks. All she had seen was that he was phenomenal at adapting his methods to a new era while still pretty much being the same man- _no demon_, he had always been. The only thing new was that he was forced to live and deal with humans. His personality was steady- pretty much unchanged over all. _It was her emotions and her mind that were not._

She was attracted beyond belief to someone who could very much _destroy _her. Was there any chance worth taking the risk? Kagome realized she was so attracted- that she just might not care. Recpgnizing that made her colder than before- cold with a sort of deep seated fear one percieved when they foresaw a devastating future.

She watched him as she shivered- fighting the sudden fear and coldness that wove around her. His golden eyes that had been smoldering moments before banked, a more cautious look overtook them. He seemed to understand the magic no longer wove around her.

But Sesshoumaru did not move- he merely watched. He was interested to see which way the little human would take this.

_What in the world am I thinking!?_ Kagome thought. It was her first lucid thought as the last of the magic about them dissipated with the reinstallment of her conscious awareness of reality. For the first time in 5 days she had realized this was not a good reality for her to be living_. It was not real_. Sesshoumaru did not treat anyone- not even Rin, as if they were someone precious to him. _What the hell was the dog demon playing at?_ She had no idea- and that was what was setting her off balance here. Intrensic natures did not change so drastically over even centuries- especially in one so set and superior as him.

"_Why are you doing this?" _she finally asked him- her eyes large and luminous. She had to know something of his motivations here. A slight desperateness laced her voice, and wound round her. Her vulnerability was palpable- and Sessoumaru was aware of feeling slightly guilty.

He did not normally take waifs home and indulge them and pamper them without some form of payment in mind. Kindness to those whom were weak was not his norm. But Kagome was not merely weak; she was just the most alluring amalgam of strength and weakness he had ever seen in his long long life. With her- he had had no selfish motivation or repayment in mind when he had first taken her into his home that Christmas Eve, but he could not deny to himself, that he had not let her go back to just existing as she had- because there was something he wanted. She had some indefinable attraction that held him enthralled. He wanted her to be his friend. He wanted her to depend on him and need him- just so she would not leave. He wanted what he had seen InuYasha have – her unwavering belief and loyalty. But it did not end there. He wanted something _more_, but he was unable to accept that he wanted _her_. It was not unusual for him to find a human attractive in this time- but that was not it. It was her_- InuYasha's priestess_. It was repulsive to his very nature to want someone whom had loved his brother first…. But _Kagome-_ well she was not just anyone….

Then he felt her tremble slightly- where her arm unwittingly touched his own sleeve. He looked down- at her apprehensive innocent face. He looked down into her navy eyes-shining with her attraction and uncertainty in him, and he felt like the very monster he knew he could be. Sesshoumaru was nothing if not very self aware of exactly how brutally cruel and harmful he could be. He knew that often he felt no remorse for many things- but he did not think that harming this girl- even unknowingly, would fade without haunting him. _Why her?-_ he had no idea. It frightened him. Yet, with age and wisdom, he knew he could not avoid her- or kill her as he would have done in the past.

_Because she made the lonliness fade_.

She was the only one in centuries to have done so- and therefore, whether he liked her relationship to InuYasha or not- was ultimately irrelavent. Because she was very very precious to _him_…..there had been no one like her in history so far. No one had ever taken away his sense of isolation- _until her_. _Until now._

It was then that he decided that he would not injure that innocence. Monster that he was- he was not so uncontrolled a monster as to destroy the strength of her being that sustained her survival in this time. He had now- in his power the ability to restore her faith, and bring her some form of happiness and contentment_**. Or**_ he had the choice to completely destroy what had survived of her. She was not a wiley courtier of his Western domain to understand casual flings. She was not a girl who was typical of many others in this time- whom he knew bedding would mean little more than a form of entertainment. It was time he kept in mind that Kagome was not like others... she was more loyal, more loving and involved than any being he had come across in his long long life. She was selfless to those she cared for- and her well being in return depended upon their own concern and caring for her. Acting on his attraction to bed her- knowing he could never offer her more would harm this pure creature more than Naraku ever had.

For once Sesshoumaru chose not to kill, to not destroy. He chose to preserve. If the Tensiega still hung at his side, he imagined it would have hummed its approval. It was odd that he should think of that irritating sword now- and actually miss that it was not at his side. It had often brought about his more humane moments in life.

"_Why are you doing this?" she had asked- _

Deciding the path of their future relationship- Sesshoumaru controlled his lust.

"Kagome-"he finally answered her expectant upturned face- wanting to ease her concerns "I am being your _friend_." He closed his hands over hers- dragging her with him, as he picked up his car keys. "And you are going to be mine- and save me from having to find some woman I don't want around to take to this event."

Kagome let herself follow him then; all doubts and recriminations settled- for the offer of _friendship_ was a lure she could not deny. She had no real friends anymore. No one knew who she really was. No one else knew about InuYasha or Naraku or her time in the past. And most of all- she realized, she really wanted to be Sesshoumaru's friend. She wanted his offer of friendship like a dying man in the desert wanted water.

He was someone she had always perceived a hidden depth of personality and emotion in. Had he _not_ been InuYasha'a brother, she would have probably attempted befriending him while in the past- after all the times he had saved her. But given whom had been the love of her life, she was unwilling to jeopardize her relationship with InuYasha for him_. Maybe….._

But what did it matter? Regretting that she had _not _gotten to know Sesshoumaru better in the past was a moot point.

_Also_, she was being given a second chance at this. She had _**him **_declaring he was here to be _her _friend. That he was insisting she stay at his home and he was taking care of her in a way she had not been taken care of for a while- _all because he was being her friend._ Well- with an explanation like that, she was left defenseless.

The girl who had been planning to bolt out of his life mere seconds before- had been reassured- by a demon who always kept his word. She followed his gentle tugging – and et him take over …..

_**(End of Flashback):**_

_**New Year's Eve…..**_

Kagome tried to feel normal. To not feel the heat of her blush stain her cheeks whenever his golden gaze assessed her. He was leisure in how his eyes persued her form- taking in her shining hair, her partly apprehensive gaze, her discomfort while dressed like a princess with her prince – going to the ball. She was discomforted yet also partly elated, when she noted his gaze lingered at the thrust of her breast against the cleavage of the gown- which did wonders for her figure. Covering her- yet hinting at her form and figure in the way the silk hugged her. Her creamy skin seen only in her swan neck, open back and exposed arms and upper chest. She had never felt so beautiful. And she wanted him to find her as beautiful as she felt. It was making her a nervous wreck.

_This is not how friends behave….._

The thought was not making as strong an effect as it had few days prior.

The emotions that filled their limo ride did not exist between friends. No- this was not how friends felt. She had never felt the depth of such attraction and concern if it was returned with InuYasha. But here she was with his hated brother- having spent the last two days laughing with him, having him hold her hand- spar with her, train her, walk with her and dine with her...and to pick her up and put her to bed when she fell asleep exhausted against him………..

They had chosen her gown together- his eyes darkened with something as she twirled before him. He had presented her with the jewels- family heirlooms, which as he placed on her slender neck and hands- making her shiver with the soft brushes of his fingers as he fastened a clasp or lifted a limb.

It was something –given the short span of time she had spent with him- that she was starting to want more and more of. She wanted this amazing man to take care of her. He was capable, he was knowledgable, he was educated and superior to any other being on this planet. But he hated humans. Even now- she could see that underlying detestation. And despite being fairly certain he suffered similar attractions to her- he had held firm in being her friend. Her friend- the human loathing Taiyoukai.

_Why would he want to be her friend? _

_Because he is as lonely as you are_….she thought to herself. _That is why_. _**That was all**_. Just that. _She_ apparently was the one that could not be just his friend.

But then they were entering the gala ball- and with the flashes of paparazzi lights and the milling crowd, Kagome forgot how uneasy she was with him just moments ago, as she pressed herself closer and into his reassuring form.

Sesshoumaru smiled. He saw the deer in headlights look the miko wore, as a million flashing bulbs blinded her as she took his hand to get out of the car. She was struggling to hide her discomfort as she and he became the focus of eyes that watched those who arrived- before they moved on to see who was next.

Yet Kagome didn't move, even when the attention went elsewhere, she stayed plastered to his side. But that was not something he could not work around. After all- almost all his usual female dates to prior such events had been draped on his arm like a second skin. He was here to do business- and right now, she was an accessory. She was one of the best he had found so far. Her natural innocence shone out through her big navy blue eyes, and the natural shyness that surrounded her amplified her innocent allure to the ravenous wolves that came to these events. After all- there was very little difference between some successful human men in this era and those ravenous wolves when they found innocent helplessness.

He saw the covetous glances men gave him as they assessed her and found that innocence- so rare in one of such beautiful form. He noted the eyes of woman who also looked at her- (after ogling him)- and saw their narrow gazed hatred eat at her back, and the envy in their gazes as they then took in her dress, her jewels and her beauty….. and the other male's reactions to it. It was odd how possessive he felt- as he led her in, letting all who caught his eye know that she was with him….

_Look- _it said_ - Look and see- but don't touch. She is with me. She is __**mine.**_

That feral part of his being rose forward- and had he been able to, he would have growled his possession of her. But that would not do. Not here – Not now. So instead- he pulled her closer, his arm snaking around that slender waist- resting lightly on her open back possessively- and smiled his most handsome predatory smile as he started to mingle.

_**Later that night- after the party…**_

_It was all too overwhelming._ That was all Kagome could numbly think of as they stepped up to get into the limo and finally head home.

It had become obvious tonight that Sesshoumaru had been in his element. It was odd- but she had never considered that he would have been skilled at socializing and diplomacy as he was. He had been the ruler of the Western Courts of Japan after all. It was just that she had never witnessed anything but his lack of conversation with InuYasha, his battles and his nomadic moments during her time in the Senku Judai.

It was humbling to realize she knew not much about him at all, and yet had assumed to know his personality. _How judgmental_.

She had spent the night- being held by his firm hands on her back and hip- as he mingled. As he discussed business and made million dollar- _no billion dollar deals_- all over a sip of champagne. She had watched and learned more about him than she would have ever suspected. She _understood_ why the women around her eyed him with longing and then looked at her in acute hatred. Some went so far as to make light social jibes when they were part of the conversation circle- though that was rare. Polite words injected towards her with hidden meaning- and she was not so dumb as to not understand their jealousy and envy. Hell- she herself was feeling slightly forlorn knowing he was out of reach.

The hungry gazes of men that had devoured her had been just as exhausting to deal with. Sesshoumaru had not seemed to notice their lingering gazes upon her face- her bust and her person. _No- the dog demon used their distraction to his advantage._ No chivalry there. His sudden interest to dress her up for the event took on new meaning. Left to her own- there was no way she would have been such an attraction tonight. Sesshoumaru was the demon god mother who waved his wand and made her a princess – and then used her to devour those weak enough to be distracted. If she didn't feel so emotionally drained from the tight coiled emotions that had been affecting her the whole evening, she would have laughed. _Some Friend_. She could not blame him- for he had said she was going to help him by coming. She now understood how. It had not stuck her what he exactly had meant earlier.

She suddenly understood how out of his circle she was. How out of her depth...

This was not new to him. This was something he had always done- just in a different setting. He was king among men here- _a demon king,_ but king none the less.

A demon king whom she found herself more and more attracted to every hour.

_You are way out of your depth here Kagome- Way way out_….


	3. Chapter 3

TOT Chapter 3

TOT Chapter 3

_**3 months later…….**_

It was the second week in a row that he found himself getting restless as the hour drew nearer to the end of the day. Magnificent golden eyes gazed out the windows atop Tashio Towers, where views of Tokyo unparalleled by any other could be seen. The setting sun filtered through sparkling windows, bathing his form in all its glory – illuminating his hair to silver and his eyes to molten gold. But Sesshoumaru's golden gaze was turned inwards- on his churning thoughts. He could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on- one of the most massive proportions. He could feel his mouth grinding down on his teeth as his throat tightened, and let out a soft growl of frustration.

His mind contemplated the reason for his restless beast. _Kagome Higurashi_.

The priestess, despite not trying once to incite his interest or notice, had gotten it. _Why?-_ He was not quite sure. Was it her absolute sincere innocence? The lack of all evil or vice within her soul? Her lack of guile; her incapacity for manipulation? Was it her contradiction- of extreme power and simultaneous helplessness? Was it her midnight blue eyes or her shimmering long hair? Whatever it was- he now completely understood the spell she had woven over InuYasha and Koga, in days gone by.

He almost sympathized that InuYasha had resisted as long as he had….._almost_.

The girl was an enigma; One whom the fates had deemed worthy to travel time, and powerful enough to have felled Naraku. Powerful enough to be the priestess of the Shikon Jewel…..yet she continued daily to prove how completely incompetent she was at survival. How she had managed to thus far survive was incomprehensible…. e_xcept that he knew how_. _**Her friends were her protectors**_.

When in the feudal era- he had bore witness to that fact. InuYasha, the monk and Taija; they had all protected her like their own life, if not more. Even the foolish helpless kit had tried to. The problem was _– they were all gone_.

Well- _almost- _his mind amended_. _

But Sesshoumaru, despite loathing this attraction he found himself fighting, was loath to hand her over to any other for protection. He didn't even want the others to find her again just yet. Selfish- _yes_. But he had always been so. He currently did not want to contemplate his reasons for holding onto a human miko - It simply was that he was here, and he would take care of the miko for now_. For now- _his mind reasoned

He closed the file he had been blindly staring at for the past half hour and sighed. His mind had been working more on how to make the miko smile than working on how to piece his latest acquisition into his conglomeration of companies. Of late, such distractions were becoming common occurance.

Prior to Kagome's appearance again, into his life, he would never have left this office before the late hours of the night, unless some social duty called. His business and holdings were so vast that he was unable to concentrate on all of them in a given day. But since Kagome, well- he had been shocking his staff, Jaken, the cook and mostly himself, by turning up at his home daily at 6 pm for dinner, and then spending the rest of the evening in her company.

It was _not_ his usual relationship with a human woman. No. There had been no sexual basis for this……..though he knew his mind had started to linger on that distinct possibility. That possibility was like an intrusive thought that jabbed at his brain each moment of each day they spent together. It had begun Christmas morning, when she had coerced him into running about his estate chasing after her in the snow- something he had not done even in his youth. He had taken her down- pinning her beneath him to prevent her launch of the next snowball at his person, and when he had looked down at her shining face he had suddenly found it hard to breathe. The glory of happiness filling her eyes and the color winter's chill had painted her face made her inhumanly lovely; as it reddened her lips and cheeks. Ice had decorated her hair like shimmering diamonds- and most of all- _he__**; he**_ had made her light up like the sun with her smile. But unlike all the other beautiful women before her, Kagome shone with a light from within. It was her kindness and purity that made her physical beauty that much more glorious. None he had ever seen through the centuries of his life could ever compare. The moment had highlighted what he had always known and denied; _that she was_ _absolutely beautiful_.

And it was from that moment onwards that he realized he was going to be in a conundrum of confusion in regards with _how_ to proceed and _where_ to proceed with his relationship to Kagome.

His beast was straining against his will- hungry to take her, and yet simultaneously he felt protective enough to protect her from himself. He had made a conscious decision at New Year, that they would be friends, and that he would not persue any sort of sexual relationship, because he absolutely refused to find that he had _become_ his _father_. He had loathed his father's love for a human. He had loathed his brothers half human blood. He had never found any use for human women other than that of sexual release. Some entertained him, and he had been fond of some more than others- but nothing deeper than the mildest of affection. Even Rin- he had let himself feel affection for the girl. But he absolutely refused to believe he had ever loved her. Love. That silly human emotion. It destroyed demons like him. No. He had never loved Rin. That tightening in the region of his heart, and that suffocating sensation he had felt when she had passed away too young was not love. And they had faded with time. Now she was a pleasant memory. One he had not forgotten, but one he no longer mourned. At least he had given her some happiness in this life. While here, in her miserable existence while upon this earth, he had given her a few years of happiness. He did not regret it.

But when it came to Kagome, he had an ominous feeling that feeling her loss would not fade for him. He knew deep down- though he loathed to admit so, that if he were to let this girl into his life in any deeper capacity, that he _would_ _mourn_ her passing for centuries on end. It was like he had seen his own death. And despite this, he could not stop what was happening. Being in her presence had become increasingly painful due to these clashing needs and wants and knowledge- _and_ _yet_ he could not let her go.

Why did he not just call the kitsune youkai, who was now under his employ, and let them meet? Shippo would be elated and would not let Kagome suffer an instant……. And _he _would probably not be suffering any of this attraction that plagued him.

Yet Sesshoumaru found he did not quite yet want anyone else to intrude on his time with her. In the past- he had never been able to approach her for more than a moment- and even then he had known she was something special. Now he had the opportunity to explore that himself- and he could not let go of the opportunity to do so

He knew he could not… and should not allow her to become a special person to him- for he knew what heartache that would bring. She was _human_. But the attraction was undeniable. He almost wondered if just rutting her would end this. Or would even that haunt him all his living days? He doubted he could even just fuck her and walk away unscathed, because he did not wish any further heartache to the girl- and that was why he feared where this would lead.

He could not do what was right and let her go. He did not want a human mate- but with Kagome- it was _almost_ a consideration. And yet- the intrinsic nature of his detestation for humans prevented that possibility from being an easy solution for him. He simultaneously wanted her- and yet did not. He simultaneously wished to protect- yet was her greatest threat- _she just didn't know it yet._ And her absolute innocent obliviousness was driving him insane. If she had not been so unaware of his thoughts regarding her- he would not feel half as bad each time he considered bedding her. The instinct to do so was driving his beast wild- and the restraint of that beast was draining him. Especially when the pull of Kagome grew each day……

Sighing, Sesshoumaru finally gave up and closed the file in front of him. This was going nowhere. He knew that resisting the draw he felt to see her only resulted in greater loss of his productivity. He had spent two months gritting his teeth and working against that draw to go see her- and it had been utterly useless. He had tried bedding other woman to drive away his body's need for her, only to find himself not satisfied and still wanting at the end. He had not lived this long without realizing when to give in to certain powers…….. and Kagome had some sort of powerful form over him. Defying it had got him nowhere but irritated, sexually frustrated and unproductive at work.

_I am in trouble……with that little miko, _he thought_._

Thank the gods that she had never affected him so in the Senku Judai - for he would never have lived past that era if she had.

It definitely put InuYasha's lack of emotional control in good perspective. Now he understood the powerful emotions she must have made the hanyou feel. And that brought him to the other crux of this issue.

_Just thinking_ about the hanyou _and her_ irritated him. Pushing thoughts of InuYasha out of his mind, he decided it was pointless to sit around here further. Stoically ignoring his old curmudgeon of a secretary, who pointedly raised her eyebrow as she eyed the clock and then him, he walked out of his outer office space, hoping Kagome had gotten done with her day early.

Karuya had served as Sesshoumaru's assistant from the ages of his father. She had no idea _who_ it was- but it _had _to be a woman. It was uncharacteristic for her employer to budge from his work before the late hours of the night. As long as she had known Sesshomaru, he had been one to arise before the sun and then burn the midnight oil. Utterly unfair considering how amazing the boy looked despite it. That Sesshoumaru had consistently been leaving by 6 pm was completely out of normal behavior patterns for the Taiyoukai. Smiling, she thought _"It's about time…."_ As she leaned over to press the intercom, informing the lobby he was on his way down, and to bring about his Porsche.

Within minutes, the TaiYoukai was headed home.

Kagome hummed softly to herself to relieve some of the underlying tension she always felt when the clock struck 5 pm. _Sesshoumaru._

She purposely blocked out the name her mind kept whispering- knowing that such thoughts were only going to lead her to folly and heart ache.

Sesshoumaru had, in the short time they had been reacquainted, become quite central to her general wellbeing and overall happiness. There was no reason for her heart to yearn for more – _like it did_.

Such yearning would only destroy the fragile trust and friendship she had found in the most unexpected of people. That he had become the person she most looked forward to seeing each day did not bear further contemplating………._and what it meant_, she was not ready to consider.

_He's only a friend….._ she kept reminding herself. But she was acutely aware that in her heart- it was not merely friendship that affected her.

Thinking back to Christmas morning, she recalled each moment as if it had just occurred. She had fallen asleep the night before while they had watched a movie, only to find herself once again awakening in the same unfamiliar guest room at his home. The bed was phenomenally comfortable- the likes of which she had up to then, never experienced. She had lingered there, stretching out under the covers, when Jaken had knocked and informed her that Lord Sesshoumaru had extending her an invite to join him at the dojo for a morning workout, if she so desired.

A moment before, thought of exercise in any form would have had her pulling the silk covers over her head to fall back into slumber- yet there she was- scrambling to get up- an odd sense of excitement thrumming through her, and the vision of a man's golden gaze in her mind's eye beckoning to her. It had not gotten any better since then. And the most foolish thing she had ever done- was go to that New Year ball with him. She was a twist of such emotional turmoil regarding the Taiyoukai, that she wished she had never found him again. And then she would regret it- because very definitely- Sesshoumaru was starting to become the center of her world. She was starting to miss him when she was away from his sphere of being, and when in his presence she did not want to leave- feeling something like a gravitational pull to be about him.

Considering her relationship to him in the past, and that he had nearly ended her life almost twice, it was ironic to say the least.

.

It was getting hard to keep the façade of friendship and indifference, when all kagome could think about was him and his golden eyes. She had never suffered a crush in all her years of highschool. InuYasha had been the closest thing to that, that she had ever come. But Sesshoumaru- and her reactions to being around him took this to an all new level.

It did not help that he was being her savior and friend. It did not help that she was discovering he could be thoughtful, considerate and kind.

"_Its not like he'd give you the time of day…."_ She could almost hear the Hanyou say….

The problem was- Sesshoumaru was; giving her time in his day. She was sure of it. Somehow, the Taiyoukai of the West made time to dine with her every evening. To spend the remaining evening hours doing his work beside her as she read……

Sesshoumaru had taken the time and the effort to get her moved into his guest home, situated in the back of his estate. Kagome thought back, a fond smile flickering about her lips, as she remembered how that had come about…..

The first thing Sesshoumaru had taken care of was the housing once the holidays had wound down and she had addressed it was time for her to return home. He had refused to accept her able to live on her own in the ancient shrine.

"I have lived here all my life." She had told him. "It is not like anything is going to happen…. I mean, shrine priestesses live like this all the time."

He had remained silent for a moment before he said, "That was in the Sengku Judai." His golden eyes narrowed in distain as he took in the worn looking home- and the secluded loneliness of the shrine in evening hours….." Certain humans now surpass the evil of Naraku.".

She could not argue with that- but his distain was biting her. Sure she was not super wealthy- not in any way but Sesshomaru had no right to view her life as pathetic. She trenched in – her stubborn streak and pride coming out, "Well I am staying here- whether you approve or not. That was part of the contract when you bought the shrine- that I could stay here."

She should have thought before speaking, and after her loud mouthed protest only did she worriedly bite her lower lip, wondering what she would do if he reneged and threw her out of living at the shrine. All he would have to do, was wait a year and change the contract's agreement about housing.

_He wouldn't do that ?- would he? _Part of her wanted to backtrack and take back the gauntlet thrown at him- he was not someone to lose easily.. And yet, part of her wanted to know if he would prove himself cruel and throw her out to win this battle. If he did, then it was better to know he was capable of such harm now, before she built further bonds with him.

Sesshoumaru had looked at her- his silence telling her loudly what he thought of her foolishness. But he had obviously seen that the way to win this battle was not to wage war. Instead he had ambushed her with surprise.

"Then I suppose this Sesshoumaru will have to remain here to ascertain your safety."

"_What!"_ she thought_- No- No way was that happening_.

"You are under absolutely no obligation to do so Sessoumaru." She had started- a mulishness to her chin as she set out to set him right. No- she had had enough of that superior supervision with his half brother to last a lifetime.

- _**InuYasha-**_ _a pang resonated through her heart._

Sesshoumaru's eye's narrowed as he noted her mind was going to the past. It irked him that she constantly did so- and that he was most sure it was not past thoughts of him that took her there. He was not going to put up with InuYasha in the posthumous form, not when he had spent so much time irritated with him when he had been alive.

"Correct. I have no obligation to you, but it is my job as this shrine's new owner to ascertain that things are safe- and renovated. I plan to spend sometime here anyways….."

In the end- when you were the employed shrine priestess, there was not much resistance she could summon to prevent a determined Taiyoukai dog demon from staying. She _knew _it was due to her refusal to relocate (than any interest of his in renovating the shrine) had resulted in this decision of him. Though, despite knowing that, she found it unbelievable herself. Why would Sesshoumaru do so- and that to for her?

But it had grown on her. _He _had grown on her. As he stayed, each day she grew more accustomed to his presence and missed it when he was not there.

And so, he had spent two months coming to the shrine- having renovations made and spending the evening and nights in the guest housing quarters that he had had redone. And somehow- it was true that just knowing he was around kept her feeling more secure than ever before- even when a family of 4 had been there.

He had redone her home so it was home again. Whitewashed the buildings so that they reminded her of the times when she was in highschool. He had wormed his way into becoming someone vital to her day; and the shoulder she leaned on when in need of leaning. Only after he had built up all those defenses for his campaign had he attacked again. After all- Sesshoumaru never lost a battle- it was just in how you approached it. And no one in history would dispute that he was a master of strategy.

It was around the end of the second month over dinner, due to some _abnormally_ sweet behavior on his part, that she had asked if he was feeling alright- in a sarcastic sense. Instead of his usual banter, the devious dog instead had astounded her and caught her unawares with the seriousness that came over him, as he suddenly stopped eating and looked at her. That compounded with the solemnity of how he then stated -"Kogome-Holy soil is _not_ my most comfortable environment. Of course I am not alright" had her unprepared and floundering as he perfectly executed his attack. His words had had her gaping and fumbling with how to respond.

One part of her wanted to slap him silly. It was his own fault for subjecting himself to the holy ground afterall. She had never insisted or wanted him to stay. But it was the more traitorous side of her that softened, and felt guilty. Because she now knew how vital he was to her day- and it was something she did not want to voluntarily give up. She felt slightly idiotic that she had until this point never even considered that Sesshoumaru was on holy ground here- and that any sort of discomfort was being tolerated by him while he had watched over her these past few months. Suddenly she felt quite inconsiderate, highly unobservant and very small. So in a moment of weakness she had caved. _Just like the dratted man had probably known she would._

She had stuttered and apologized. And in the process of doing so, dug herself into a corner where her stubbornness had no room. And Sesshoumaru ultimately won exactly what he had aimed for, because within the hour she had agreed to move out of the shrine and into his outhouse guest quarters. _Afterall_ he had so reasonably reasoned- that was more comfortable, (_and _obviously he would not accept her living here or anywhere else alone an option).

Kagome merely did what any other female being faced with the determined gorgeous Taiyoukai did- she gave in to what he wanted. Within a day of that, she was moved into his guest home and into his life in a way that was oddly intimate. She was almost living with him- and yet, technically was not. They were fast becoming what she would term .. "great friends", yet there was an undercurrent that constantly was present, that didn't make their friendship easy.

It was still confusing her- and so was Sesshoumaru.

"_Damn Dog demons- you'd think that after InuYasha I wouldn't have to get confused over them", _Kagome mumbled to herself. She cleared the incense stand and the collected ashes. Blindly cleaning out the area, she walked up to the doors, taking her worn coat and turning off the lights as she buttoned up. Locking the shrine up for the night, she reflected on the Goshinboku tree, before turning away and starting to descend the fifty steps that led to her former home.

As the cold winds brushed her cheeks, Kagome suddenly found herself irritated and a feeling of confusion and feeling loss swamped her. Her _former_ home….. was that how she thought of it now? No. Actually, despite living in Sesshoumaru's lavish guest quarters for over a month now, she still thought of the shrine as her home. And there in lay her problem. This was her home- but she no longer lived in it. Why?- she asked herself. It was not merely the Taiyoukai's cunning that had her living with him- and though she was attracted, she was not the type of girl to normally go stay in a man's home. But with Seshoumaru she had. She had found herself letting him take over her life and dictating how it went. Not that there was a problem with what he was doing- for he was certainly taking better care of her than she had herself. But this growing dependency bothered her. It was not her norm- and yet currently she was too emotionally needy to stay alone. _That- and_ she was too much of a sucker for handsome dog demons.

She had regretted her moment of weakness for some time now. Because, living with Sesshoumaru was slowly killing her. She was finding herself confused, uncertain and irritated more and more- and yet at the same time, she found herself eager and happy to see him. It was becoming such that her brightest and favorite moments were with him, and that as this need for him grew- she found herself unable to leave him and return to her life alone at the shrine.

Not that leaving Sesshoumaru was an easy thing. No. Not when he was also her employer and the Shrine's owner. Not when she was oogling his handsome face, resisting her urges to ravage his silken hair, and ….. and…. _kiss_ _him._

_Urgh! – _Kagome shook her head to dislodge the image of his handsome face and most kissable lips and smoldering golden eyes …..

_Darn it! _ Why could she not be normal and find herself attracted to boys like Hojo?

_Well- because once a girl was favored by demon males- there was not too many humans who could compare…._

And all this was nothing compared to Souta's reaction when he found she was no longer living in the shrine. He was angry and suspicious, and knew there was more to this move, but for some reason she loathed explaining more. It was as if she just wanted some time to hold this close to her- and analyze it herself before she allowed anyone, Souta included- into this relationship that she feared was becoming very precious to her. And part of what frightened her the most, was the possibility that it was not quite so precious to the handsome Taiyoukai who was worming his way under her skin.

Wouldn't that just be great? _IF_ she let these emotions get out of control, then once again Kagome Higurashi would love a dog demon who just couldn't love her back. _Irony-_ She _hated _it.

Kagome was a strange combination of world weary yet innocent. But she was not naive. She was acutely aware of the lingering glances and covetous looks that beautiful women launched his way when-ever they were out. And she was astute enough to know Sesshoumaru was well aware of them, and selective in how he utilized them. But utilize he did. _Of that_ she had no doubt. Odd, for she had never before pondered his sexuality while in the Senku Judai. _Why?_ Had she been too young, or just so wound up in InuYasha that it had defied her? She was not sure- but what she did know what that she was no longer so oblivious. _Unfortunately._

She was acutely distressed by her worn cloths, and lack of personal polish when in comparison to these woman. And she was very much aware that the Taiyoukai, while attentive and friendly towards her, was very much smoldering and dangerously attractive in his interactions with the other woman in his life. He was at galas and socialite events, always with one of those shimmering beauties wrapped around his arm. And unlike her own experience at the New Year ball, where he had brought her and himself straight home- with these other woman, often he did not return until late into the night- or went directly to work from where-ever it was he had been, only to see her the next day.

She never asked, knowing intuitively that he would not tolerate it. She actually had no right to ask… and yet something ate at her whenever she realized he was not coming home. Was it merely curiosity? Yes- but Kagome was starting to realize that it was also a generalized wanting; A form of jealousy. There was an ache somewhere in her being, to _be one_ of those girls. But at the same time, her mind was not so far gone as to let her self destruct…._yet._

It was odd for her emotions and heart to want this- to want him, for she was very well aware of exactly how self destructive that would be. Those women did not know him better. _She_ did.

_They _didn't know he was a demonic lord who had barely tolerated humans. They didn't know he was very capable of becoming an emotionless monster, with no hesitation to kill or maim or hurt. He had shown his own loathing for her in the past- so his behavior now was completely out of character, even if they had ended up as allies in the end against Naraku.

But despite knowing all this, Kagome found herself hard pressed to remember not to stare at his extraordinary good looks, not to blush when he fixed his intense golden gaze upon her, and not to read anything further into his sensitive caring and moments of concern that he was showering her with. _Why?_ Why would he do that? In her darker moments she almost wondered if he was abominable enough to use her to get back at InuYasha. In her weaker moments, she wondered if he too was feeling the same as she. And yet, nothing in his countance gave away his own emotions or stand on any of this. After the New Year gala- Sesshoumaru had been her friend. _Friend._ That was all. _Finit._

Perhaps it was always _she_ who wanted more? Perhaps she had imagined all those smoldering glances? Imagined the possessive touches of his hands as he moved through the crowd during the New Year Gala, and now whenever they went out? Imagined his intimidating stare towards anyone male who approached her? _– Was it just all in her head_?

It was possible. She was afterall the girl who had thought InuYasha loved her… when all she had ever been- _and could ever be_ - was a beloved _friend._

She decided finally after going quite insane for the past 3 months, to just take it easy, and accept that he was merely a friend. _Nothing more_.

_She_ was the one who had to learn to control her own emotional needs. For Sesshoumaru had never misled her to believe this was anything special or precious to him. Why he was concerned for her well being was a question that gnawed on her gut daily. But for now, there was no explanation other than what he had clearly said – That he was her _"friend"._

Kagome decided to be grateful and dependable in return… and take what came one day at a time. She seemed cursed to find herself attracted towards men who where not willing to be attainable by her. They wanted to be her friend and nothing more. It was her problem, not theirs. And some self preserving aspect of her knew better than to arm Sesshoumaru with knowledge of her weakness and emotions regarding him. For all the polish that the centuries had coated him with, it was only superficial. He was still very much ruthless and capable of hurting her – even without realizing it.

And so Kagome lived life in a sort of limbo – suffering in one way, due to wanting things she could not name, and simultaneously in sheer blissful happiness- because he could bring her that with just his friendship. It was odd how he was the cause of both emotions.

Reaching the bottom to the shrine's stairs, she alighted into the chauffer driven Mercedes he had sent to pick her up, and steeled herself to at least not lose his friendship with her own emotional needs. She was _not_ some juvenile teen who _had _to spew her emotions and risk ruining what was there. Friends. She decided.

_Just friends….remember Kagome- _her mind kept chanting, as the Mercedes sped towards the source of all her turmoil. And when she got to his home, to find him opening the door in person, and smiling at her with great warmth and some affection in his golden gaze, - a smile that made her breath stop- she reminded herself of her promise- to be just friends. She was not going to ruin this friendship by letting him know she hoped for or expected more. Because that meant that she could lose even this- and already Kagome knew that such a loss would be keenly felt. Such a loss, she suspected she would already not fully recover from easily. Willing her feet to move, and her eyes to stop staring and her mouth to speak- Kagome smiled up at him in return.

"Hello," she softly smiled.

"Hn" he gazed at her seriously a moment. "Hello," he smiled back again, "I was wondering how I got home before you." In fact, those words did nothing to express his frustration at himself and her to find that he had rushed home like some love sick fool.

She blushed, walking past him to enter the foyer "I ran a bit late today cleaning the shrine. It was a bit busy earlier." She unwound her scarf from her neck and gently took off and folded the worn coat over her hand before looking up at him. He was so tall. So phenomenal- almost unnaturally so. She was amazed that no one had thought him to not be human before. He was staring down at her, serious once more. There was a darkening of thought to his gaze, as if he was contemplating something he did not like. She knew him better now- to the point that she could tell somewhat of his moods.

"Hn." He finally acknowledged her explaination, taking her elbow to lead her away, while taking the bundle in her arms and tossing it at the maid who was standing nearby.

She didn't want him irritated. "I didn't think you would be home early, " she paused to turn to look up at him. "You had thought today would be late for you."

It had been the wrong thing to say. If anything, his mood blackened.

"Hn" The air was getting chilly.

He was twisting her into knots. Just his disapproval for being slightly later than her norm was making her self conscious, regretful and antsy when she had no reason to be so. Her temper won over the others. Why should she feel bad that he had been home awaiting her? She waited for him almost daily!

She stopped and turned around standing in front of his way, looking up firmly at him. "Why are you upset?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at the little human miko. The miko who had fallen in love with his fool of a brother. The miko who's love for InuYasha had been rejected by the fool. The _rejected_ miko who loved his brother- that _he_, Sesshoumaru had rushed home to see. He was furious with himself. He was deserving of something better than his brothers rejections- and yet what angered him the most- was that it was Kagome that he wanted.

When he just stared at her in silence, Kagome huffed and turned to walk towards the sofa, leaving the Taiyoukai staring after her.

When he had seen her getting out to the car and come towards him, he had been envisioning her cold flushed face- and wondered how she would flush when in his bed. He had wanted to kiss her- and carry her up to his bed and corrupt that innocence in her eyes and face. He wanted to destroy what she was- and make her his.

He was furious with her suddenly as well. He brought up his hand- fingers glowing, before controlling the urge to kill the being that brought such weakness upon him. Placing his hands down at his side once more, he clenched it into a fist- his whole body tense and angry as he watched the sway of her behind as she obliviously walked on towards the sofa. She was like a forbidden fruit in Eden- tempting him into his downfall. It was utter stupidity to love a human when one was immortal. It damned you to a life of loss once the fragile useless beings died. He did not deserve such eternal pain. _He would not allow it to happen._

He had wanted her with an intensity that brought back all his thoughts from hours before. He had never been good at denying himself- though never from a lack of self control. But with her it was different. For all that he wanted to rutt her- he knew that she was not one to use and throw in that way. And he knew that he may be damaging himself in some way if he were to do so. She was not just any other woman- _unfortunately. _Reminding himself that he had more self control and could control himself to do what he wanted to do, not what he felt like doing- Sesshoumaru followed behind her- his gaze watching her tight perfect rump as she moved ahead.

Kagome turned around- suddenly realizing the Taiyoukai was not beside her- to find him almost stalking up behind her. His eyes when she turned around roamed about her face, and she had not missed that he had possibly been oogling her ass. Feeling hot at the thought, Kagome decided she was likely imagining things- and even if he had been- she was decided in not letting him know the attraction was mutual. She wanted to tell him what she had been thinking of all day. She wanted to walk into him and hug him- and let something happen. But despite what she wanted, she held back- because her instincts for some reason warned her that suddenly there was some sort of danger here with Sesshoumaru. And her mind was smart enough to realize that she would not come out unscathed if she entered anything physical with this man- physically, emotionally or mentally.

Forcefully turning her thoughts away from her attractions towards him, she smiled at his now serious face and laughed lightly. Bowing slightly- she saied, "I am sorry I made you wait Sesshoumaru- If I had known, I would have been here earlier….I am sure you had so much to do." It was not her norm to do this- but given that she knew he was angered with waiting on her- and she did not want him this way with her, she caved. Really- she eventually had to stop giving in- but not today, she thought. Suppressing her own irritation at his attitude towards her arrival, and her attraction towards him- she started to tell him about interesting events in her day, and asked him about his own. Slowly the Taiyoukai relaxed and started to enjoy her company like he always did. Enough to eventually laugh lightly with her and converse with her as well. They spoke about news, work, his latest business ventures and her brother. They spoke about his plans for next months dinner party and her latest enrollment into repeating hightschool, and his latest endowment to Tokyo's business school. They spoke about everything but the emotions that thickened the air between then, making even their friendly banter sizzle with some electric energy. And though she wanted to spill out to him her feelings – and ask him if he too was feeling this magic about them whenever they spoke, touched or breathed in the same room- she did not. Sesshoumaru in return restrained his highly inappropriate thoughts regarding what else he would rather be doing with and to the miko than this inane chattering. He reigned back his usual callousness in regards to using a human female with no regards to her own emotions and expectations from him. He was very well aware of the attraction that leapt between them. He could feel the heat from her blush and body each time a hand touched. He could smell her attraction to him. But he withstood doing what he normally would do. Barely- but did so. And the whole time she spoke, he realized how untenable this situation was. He had created the worst scenario by moving her into his home. It was time to call Shippo. It was time to behave abominably so that he could distance himself for her own good. Hell- even kicking her out and back to the ancient shrine was better than tolerating this. He wanted to just lean over and stop her from rattling on about the shrine by kissing her senseless. But he held off all that. Because for all that he did not want to want her- and did not wish to hurt her, he also did not want anyone else to have her. There-in lay his problem. And so he tolerated the nervous chatter. He tolerated his anger and everything, and he barely held on to his will power to not take this further- though well aware that given her attraction to him, he very easily could. Kagome did not realize how much she had truly saved herself, by not letting him know those deepest of thoughts that ran through her mind and heart- for if she had, it was unlikely any will power on his part would have stopped the beast within him from taking exactly what it wanted.

Sharp green eyes narrowed, as a handsome narrowed face grew thoughtful. Arrogant superiority and intelligence were evident in the confidence of gaze and thought – as the demon studied what was before him. Green eyes flashed with knowledge as they re-read the e-mailed correspondence from the over bearing conceited and impossible to please Taiyoukai. _Something was off._

This was not Sesshoumaru's normal self entitled ordering. There was too much explanation in this for it to be normal for the cold, self righteous bastard. _He_ normally would never spend the time to think he needed to explain anything to anyone. So this e-mail explaining why he did not need Shippo to come for his annual meeting with Seshoumaru was a red flag. That he went on to _explain _why he would recommend Shippo not leave Tashio headquarters in Paris to take his normal vacation at home in Japan was about three sentences too many words for Shippo to find acceptable. Leaning back into his plush office seat, Shippo grew thoughtful. Sesshoumaru obviously did not want him in Japan. _Why?_ What was in Japan now, that Sesshoumaru would not want him there- and that would make the Taiyoukai send an e-mai all but forbidding him to come? _Interesting._

Shippo picked up his private cell phone- and dialed speed dial. It was 2 am in New York- but he didn't care. This was something he needed to discuss, and now… and if the wolf was out fucking around- Shippo really didn't care.

Kouga was unfortunately not doing anything quite so pleasurable. He was in the middle of typing up a report to submit to the board for an acquisition meeting later that day. He tiredly looked up from his laptop screen – at his ringing cell phone, and decided to ignore it when he saw it was Shippo. The squirt had grown into one of the most annoyingly shrewd smart and tenacious demons around. That he was his counterpart in Tashio Corp's Overseas division for management control sometimes irked Kouga- though his irritation settled when he realized that there was not anyone else he could tolerate in that partnership any better than Shippo.

Continuing to type- he softly swore when the phone rang again. _Shippo._ What could the persistent fox want? He reached out and grabbed the phone, growling "This better be important squirt" as he looked up out the darkened windows of Tashio's New York building. The city was happening- and here he was slaving for a demon he thoroughly hated. It was likely why Sesshoumaru had put him half way across the globe in the one country the dog bastard hated to visit. Kouga however loved the New world. It was wild, brash and free- a lot like him. He completely comprehended why Sesshoumaru's traditional senses had been offended here- and it pleased him to know the bastard wouldn't be over unnecessarily to bother him.

"It _is_" came the whip sharp reply.

Kouga growled in irritation at the next following seconds of silence." So- Ya going to sit here all night breathing?"

"No." Shippo calmly resoponded. Then after taking a breath, the fox demon asked, "Have you gotten instructions for your annual meeting to report to Tokyo?"

Kouga tapped down his irritation. "I'm in the middle of preparing for my own acquisition take-over meeting and agenda squirt- _this is not the time_…."

"Did you get any instruction or not?" Shippo's sharp voice barked back, interrupting his tirade. "It's a yes or no question Kouga- that you could have answered by now." Hinting that it was Kouga who was wasting time.

"You're a bonafide pain in the ass." Kouga muttered, narrowing his eyes, as his mind switched gears. He had gotten an e-mail from Sesshoumaru two days back that basically cancelled his annual review meeting in Tokyo. Instead they were set up for a teleconference later this month. Why was Shippo asking? The fox never wasted a breath unless the knowledge was useful. "Yeah- Dog breath sent me some info," Kouga wanted to know what was up. It was not a good idea to give information freely and let a Kitsune youkai go unmonitored. They were too shrewd and cunning for the good of others. "_Why?"_

Shippo clenched his jaw in irritation, his hands tightened over the phone as green eyes flashed in annoyance. He _hated_ it when Kouga's mind was actually functional. It meant he could not get answers easily without explaining himself. _Damn!_ Kouga was _intentionally_ not giving him an answer without some sort of reason. _Double damn! _But then again- the wolf was not as dumb as everyone thought he was. _After all-_ _Sesshoumaru did not employ fools._ Sighing, his mind quickly calculated and weighed the benefits vs possible complications of letting the loud mouthed wolf know his reasons for wanting to know. Kouga did not know how to shut up. Giving him any sort of ammunition or reason for suspicion would have him mouthing off to Sesshoumu, whom Shippo knew the wolf absolutely loathed. No. It was not a good idea to let Kouga know exactly what was up- and yet, his mind quickly worked out that it would be ideal to get Kouga unknowingly involved. Cunning flashed briefly on the Kitsune face, one that had grown handsome and sharp and was no longer rounded with childhood chubbiness. Shippo had come into his own. To the point that even Sesshoumaru was extra cautious when dealing with him. The kitsune smirked in confidence at the thought.

"Well- I need to do some work here in France, for our dog demon- and can't get to Japan like I had planned to Kouga." Shippo paused. If Kouga- who he knew was not smart enough to have read anything into Sesshoumaru's emailed edict preventing them from going to Japan, could be convinced to go to Japan- then it would be most interesting. It would also keep his own kitsune ass out of trouble and Kouga in the hot seat if indeed there was something going on in Japan. Kouga was not as brilliant as he- but something _**obvious**_**,** would definitely be noted by the pretty shrewd wolf. And loud mouth as Kouga was, Shippo could bet he would then find out what it was very soon after. And it was only the **obvious** that Shippo was sure was having Sesshoumaru specifically refuse him any lee way to visit Japan. Shippo was pretty certain that if Kouga had received any similar e-mail, it would not have been so clear he could not go to Japan- just because Sesshoumaru knew that Kouga would never want to go unless he had to- especially to a country where Sesshoumaru was.

"Yo-" Kouga's voice broke into his thought process. "Did you lose your tongue, kitsune?" Kouga rolled his eyes as he looked at the time. He definitely had better things to do. "I don't' have the time for this bullshit Shippo! Now what the fuck do you want?"

"Kouga- your mouth needs cleaned. I have no idea how even the Americans deal with your foul language. They'd wash it with soap for you here in Paris." Shippo's mouth smiled, fangs gleamed as he tossed the pitch, "Anyways- I need you to go to Japan and pick up something for me."

"No _fucking _way……"

"It was something recently found in an Archeological dig on artifacts for the Senku Judai…"

"I _said _no fucking way!" – that was it, Kouga was ready to end this call….

"that appears to be something a great priestess of the time had……" The smile grew. If there was one thing Kouga would never say no to – it was this.

Silence hummed over the line as Shippo patiently waited for the wolf to take the bait.

"_What _artifact?"

_Bingo!_ "Something important enough that I wouldn't send anyone else but myself to go get- but in this case, I know I can trust you. " And that was true. Shippo would trust Kouga with this.

Kouga's mind raced. The kitsune was a known collector of rare artifacts. He invested heavily in Japanese digs and Kouga had always suspected what the fox was searching for…. but could it be? "_What _artifact – Shippo?"

"A sword."

A minute passed with no sound. "_What- are you going to just sit there breathing_ -Kouga?" Shippo quipped back Kouga's earlier words, "or are you going to help me with this. There is no-one I would trust more with examining the thing and seeing if it is InuYasha's sword or not. And if Sesshoumaru wanted you to meet with him- then its just another thing to do on your trip."

Kouga hesitated. Damn fox. You never knew what the fuck they were up to. "Sesshoumaru _canceled_ my meeting Shippo- I had no plans to be in Japan this year."

Double Bingo! So Sesshoumaru did not want anyone there. Interesting. _What are you up to?_ Shippo thought. "Kouga– I am not going to be able to get there anytime soon", Shippo intentionally paused, "- I _really_ need someone to look at this sword _before_ our dear dog demon finds out about it!"

That was all it would take- the Kitsune's green irises darkened, pupils narrowed and eyes flashed in anticipation.

"Damn! Shippo!" Kouga punched the sofa cushion rendering it to explode as the stuffing flew out with the force he hit it with. "Fuck! You have to go!- Don't let that asshole get his hands on it! InuYasha would come back from the grave to kill you personally!" _Shit_. The kitsune just _had to go_.

"I can't Kouga." Shippo studied his nails. "Why do you think I called?"

"_Fuck!"_

Shippo heard the phone being tossed, then russeling, as Kouga likely picked it up again.

"You know I hate being anywhere on the same continent as that bastard!" Kouga railed. Shippo just waited. He hadn't expected Kouga to be graceful about it. Not getting any response but silence only fueled Kouga's anger. "_Fuck you Shippo! You knew_ I'd have to do this!"

"So you'll go?"

Silence for a moment before- "Fuck!" more throwing and smashing were heard."Yeah."

"Good. I will forward you the details and who to contact." Shippo waited a second before finally executing his last move. "You know Kouga, you can't go to Japan without seeing the dog."

Cursing seared the phone line.

"I wouldn't give him a heads up or anything- cause he'll be prepared. And a prepared Sesshoumaru is a dangerous one. Why don't you just get there- take care of business and then drop in to surprise him. Oh- and don't' let him know anything about why you're there or me and the sword. You _obviously_ know why."

More smashing and cursing followed, while the kitsune patiently waited for the inevitable.

Finally, a terse "Fine!"was growled out, followed by the line going dead. Shippo smiled to himself. This was perfect. Kouga was perfect. Now all he had to do was sit back and wait till the wolf found out what was going on for him.

Smiling, Shippo shrugged into his coat and left his office for the evening. _What are you up to Sesshoumaru? What is it that you don't want me to find out about?_


	4. Chapter 4

Turns of Time

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.

XXX

Kouga was already starting to develop a headache of massive proportions. Nothing could be worth this much trouble, _and he hadn't even left the United States yet_. "Tell me again, Ginta, why you could not just get the Tashio corporate jet ready for this trip?" He tapped his finger nonchalantly against his briefcase. A fake sense of serenity surrounded him.

Ginta knew better and began gulping, as sweat began to pour down his face. He absolutely hated to admit it, but it looked like he had been suckered into a bit of kitsune mischief, and there was nothing to do but fess up to Kouga and right anything quickly.

"Uhm…You see Kouga, Shippo called me up here last night and told me that you would need to charter a personal jet out to Japan, as he was going to ask for the Tashio jet to go to Japan for another pick up or somethin."

Kouga's icy blue eyes flared with disbelief. He could smell the nasty odor of kitsune treachery in the air, and the feeling of being a puppet in one of Shippo's shows was extremely unpalatable for someone of his nature.

"_Shippo _told you to send the Tashio corporate jet to Japan?" Ginta gulped again, but nodded an affirmative. "_Empty?_"

Again Ginta's head bobbed in agreement, like some sort of stupid puppet, Kouga thought in disgust. Then he caught himself, because the puppet Shippo was trying to puppeteer with this move was _yours truly_, and it just was not going to happen.

Kouga's voice took on a dangerous cadence, one that had the hairs on Ginta's hand and neck standing out as he asked, "_**And**__**you **__just did everything __**he **__asked you to- and __**never**__ thought to question the logic of his __**stinkin **__kitsune decisions, huh?" _

Ginta nodded again. _Why_ had that made sense when the kitsune had called in the order earlier yesterday?

"Ginta." Kouga held a hand up to his forehead, expressing in action the extreme headache his friend and subordinate was causing him. "Aren't you supposed to be _my _assistant manager for the west coast Tashio division?" Kouga's eyes were closed, his whole being and aura expressing his vexation at the situation.

"Yes" Ginta managed to whisper out.

"And the last time I checked, Ginta- was _**I **_not the North American CEO of Tashio enterprises?"

"Yes" Ginta squeaked out. Oh shites, Ginta thought- the shit was going to hit the fan.

"And _tell me_ Ginta, is Shippo not the _European_ Tashio Enterprise CEO?"

GInta knew what was coming. That was the good thing with Kouga. He was real. He was direct, and you never had to shit your pants worrying what his reaction and responses would be or what his commands meant, because there was rarely ever a hidden meaning. This whole conversation meant Ginta was going to be nursing a broken limb or shiner sometime soon. Somehow, Ginta preferred this to Shippo's manipulative methods or Sesshoumaru's tendency to coat his reality under traditional bullshit and a sense of propriety. Might as well deal with this now, Ginta decided.

"Yeah Kouga, but…"

_**Faattaak!**_ The punch sent Ginta's jaw bone careening out of its socket and to the right before a spring action somewhere brought it back to place. _Shit._ That hurt. And unfortunately, Kouga had reason to get even angrier ; -like when he heard the chartered _private_ jet was not so private.

"I was not finished yet Ginta. But you had that coming- _you idiot_!" Kouga slugged the other side of Ginta's jaw; his blue eyes lit with fury. Fury directed at the kitsune who had duped his _ imbecile _of a friend. Ginta managed the West Coast division for him after all, and he could not have him out of commission.

"Why the fuck would you send our private jet out across the _freakin _Pacific empty a few hours _before I_ was supposed to get to Japan, and charter me a private jet because the _fucking_ Kitsune youkai with no honor to one freakin bone in his body_- who has nothing to fucking do with operations of Tashio Corporation in the United states-_ calls you and tells you so? _And _without checkin with me first?," Kouga cuffed Ginta on the head hard, so the wolf youkai was woozing around seeing stars dance about him.

"Sor…. Sorry Kouga" he managed to finally stutter out, as his vision began to blacken.

"You idiot!" Kouga pushed him down with one final kick. But kickin Ginta around was counter-productive. And there was no way right now to vent his anger at Shippo for the moment.

Shippo was up to no damn good, but the kitsune was in for a nasty surprise. Kouga was no-body's idiot. Something was up in Japan. First Sesshoumaru canceled his meeting and then Shippo was all over that like a Geisha seeing royalty. To the extent of luring and suddenly coercing Kouga into going to Japan. It reeked of shit. And Kouga decided, while he didn't like the kitsune's twist of hand here, the best way to fuck up a kitsune was to thwart their ultimate goal….. and it seemed that Shippo's was to get him to see Sesshoumaru in surprise.

Well, he was curious what the Kitsune knew. So, against instinct, he didn't call Shippo to tell him to fuck off. Oh no. No, now he was curious and angry. So, Kouga was going. But Shippo was going to have to sink his ass in the shit he was trying to get Kouga to smell if he ever wanted to know what was up with dog breath. Cause Kouga was not going to tell him- and that, Kouga knew would drive the green eyed monster in Shippo mad. Yeah- Kouga thought with a smirk as he stepped over Ginta's prone form, he was not some stupid dog demon. He was a wolf- and they ate Kitsune demons for breakfast…..

Kagome stretched as she woke up and cracked open her eyes. Sunlight was streaming into her room filling it with a warmth that was comforting. Stretching out her hands she pushed herself up, opening eyes further, as she contemplated what a beautiful morning it seemed to be. She then turned to her clock and noted it was near 9 am. It was Sunday, and today was the day Sesshoumaru was coming back from his round of business meetings in China. Scrambling up out of her bed, she rushed into her bathroom to shower and get ready. She had missed his powerful presence something crazy for the past week, and he was due home at 11 am and she still had time to make it to the airport.

XXX 

Shippo was sitting through a conference call with his German counterpart when he felt the restlessness begin. Kouga should have called by now. He eyed his smart phone belligerently. What was the wolf up to? He knew Kouga would be infuriated with his meddling up the flight plans to ensure the fool didn't take Tashio Corporation's jet to Japan. Sesshoumaru was the master of monitoring his underlings. There was no doubt in Shippo's mind that the dog demon would hear about any Tashio jet entering Japan (especially in light of his don't come to Japan trend) and Shippo had felt he had to throw out a distraction. Yes an empty Tashio USA jet would be great, and that way would be there for Kouga to get back on. The fool was going to need a fast get-a –way if something crazy was going on with Sesshoumaru in Japan and he accidentally stumbled on it. Shippo had already thought up excuses and motivations to get Kouga to forgive him for his meddling and continue to Japan. BUT the wolf had yet to call. That was concerning. The behavior was out of character- and that meant that anything that happened henceforth was now up in the air and no longer predicable. Perhaps Kouga had refused to go and was fuming in silence? He hoped so- and he hoped he heard from the fool soon, or else he was going to have to reassess things here- and find out where Kouga was to talk to him one on one and ensure nothing stupid had entered the wolf's mind. Restlessness was rare for Shippo these days- but for once, he could not wait for this conference call to end.

Kouga's aura was murderous. He had gotten onto the private jet only to find that he was not the only traveler. It was completely unacceptable. Had Ginta not lay passed out still, he would have mauled him. For now he had the choice of either not getting to Japan or to just deal with this human. Given his current mood, he would never go to Japan if he got off now, and the human woman was lovely to look at. Unfortunately, he was unusually out of his normal virile mood for a good fuck, and would have preferred his solitude today. So he shut up and fumed and killed Ginta repeatedly in his mind.

The only factor that made this bearable was that the girl was gorgeous. That thought only gave him momentary relief- because when the flight took off, sealing effective circulation within the plane to the typical dry recycled air of these modern vehicles, he realized that this beauty was in real danger of him killing her. Why? Cause she carried the stench of being sexually involved at some point with a demon. And not just any demon- No, that would have not made this day any worse. No, this human carried the rank stench of Sesshoumaru. And that was how Kouga met Komara.

XXXX

Komara had been shooting her latest film in the States, and had had to accept a shared private flight if she wanted to leave now for Japan. She had not minded so much, because often meetings on chartered private flights led to great connections and meeting powerful, attractive and often handsome men. She had been on the rebound ever since Sesshoumaru had dropped her, and despite numerous sexual encounters with amazing lovers, none had matched up to his lovemaking. There had been something innately animalistic and powerful in his fucking that others lacked. She actually felt she could even feel the difference in the so called aura of these men. That was why when she heard that her flight partner (if he chose to accept) was a young dashing CEO; it had been interesting- but not as exciting as it could have been. Because, Komara was feeling resigned to the fact, that it would have to be Sesshoumaru or a lifetime of lackluster sex forever. No man she had met yet could compare. _Then __**he**__ had bound in._

Black inky hair and blue blue eyes were focal points in his roguish and handsome face. And his body; rock hard and buff yet trim and lithe- that itself were enough to make her struggle for control over her female attraction to him. But then as he came towards her frowning and irritable as he was informed why she was there and had he not been informed?- she had felt his aura. _**Oh god. **__ He had __**it.**_ He had the same dangerous roiling power that surrounded the white haired bastard back in Japan. And Komara knew that he could maybe be her best chance at finding sexual satisfaction again. But he was angry and irate- and did not seem pleased to have to share his flight- so she had stayed silent. Usually these men were intent on meeting her, so she decided to see if he would calm down and introduce himself. He didn't. In fact, as the flight took off, he --- well it looked like he was sniffing the air?- and then turned furious and murderous eyes upon her. It was enough to make her concerned for her well being. But he had it- That danger that surrounded Sesshoumaru, it was there. And so, Komara was not going to let him go that easily. Plus, he really couldn't kill her midflight right? And she sniffed lightly- she couldn't possible smell that bad- this was Channel No.5! Or maybe he disliked this scent? Well there was only one way to find out.

XXX

Rangi was head of Tokyo security. Usually Tokyo airport was always filled with important people. But today seemed to be a bit more than the usual. Apparently Mr. Tashio-san was landing at 11 o'clock from China and soon afterwards actress Komara was landing from her recent stint in the States. The press had somehow gotten a hold of this and was clamoring to get in, as the two had not had recent run-ins, and how would they react now? Well, if Rangi had a say so- no one was going to know. Sesshoumaru samma had expressly wished for him to ensure that the two did not meet, and if they did that there were no camera's to be had around. And after centuries of service, Rangi was not going to fail now.

XXX

Sesshoumaru was exhausted. He had spent the last week in business meeting and greasing hands on mainland China- a place that brought no fond memories for him. Grateful to get back to Japan, he wanted two things- to see Kagome and get home. Hopefully his blue –eyed angel would be awaiting his return like she always did at the airport. The only blip on his radar had been news that Komara was possibly landing from the US that day- and he had done his best to ensure she got no charters out- yet apparently she was sharing a flight out of the US and expected to enter Tokyo airport within minutes of his arrival. It would not matter but was unnecessary for Kagome to ever meet her- and so he hoped Rangi was taking care of it.

Stretching his long legs out, he could not deny the anticipation to have Kagome by him. The girl's aura was soothing to his beast: addictive in ways he had not thought possible. He had missed her daily, and everything he saw- had wondered how she would have reacted to seeing the same. Apparently fucking Chinese demonesses of great beauty did not help ease his yearning for her any either. Self derisively he thought, Inu no Tashio was somewhere in heaven rolling around in laughter with his younger brother, because Sesshoumaru had decided he didn't care anymore about the fact of InuYasha in her history. He was not going to fuck up where his brother had. The boy had been a fool, and not taken the gift that Kagome was without wondering about all the past what ifs. Sesshoumaru was not going to repeat his brother's mistakes. He would miss this little human to the point of no return even if he never initiated a more intimate relationship. It had taken long hard internal battles with himself and his yearning and self loathing to come to that decision. But the turning point had been Radhashiki's derisive laughter after their lovemaking.

(Flashback):

"_Hmm,_ tell me Seshoumaru, why did you seek out my services today?"

He had kept characteristically silent, but she was a shrewd demoness who had been the purveyor of flesh for high-ranking demons since he could recall. She had fiddled with his hair, and traced his pointed ears before sitting up on her left hip , supporting her head in her hand as she asked, "My lord, forgive this intrusion. I usually do not, as you know, do more than give to you the pleasure and distractions you seek. But I think I must say something – if I have your permission?" He had thought about it- and agreed with the slightest nod of his head. After all she was more than just a whore. Radhashiki had been his teacher and guide through sexual exploration since he had attained manhood years ago. She had been the one outlet for his grief and anger when his sire had died, and though he had not seen her on a personal level in years, he held her in high esteem.

"Upon you is the scent of yearning. And I don't know what is happening in Japan with you, but there is only one thing I can think of, that would make the mighty Sesshoumaru doubt himself-" Radhashiki paused, her eyes growing sympathetic as she looked into his own, and continued, " and that would be _**if **_he were to fall in love with a _human._"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, as they chilled into a terrifyingly intimidating stare, but it did not seem to faze the demoness receiving it in the least. She tinkled a laugh as she tweaked his ear. "Oh no, my lord. Taking that look does not make what I say less true, does it?"

Sesshoumaru thought about it. No it did not. But he was not going to admit a weakness to a _Chinese _demoness. So instead he held his silence and hoped she would go on. For he was uncertain how other demons would react: It was one of his many subconscious fears in regards to his relationship with Kagome. And he did not have many that he would willingly reveal a weakness to, or ask such a question of.

"How do I know, do you wonder my lord?" She traced slow circles upon his perfect chest. Then slowly studied the handsome dog demon's face.

Radhashiki wondered if it was wise to continue. Sesshoumaru was not the typical demon. He was very traditional, and very private. A part of her wondered if that side of him would be offended that a whore was supposing on his pride and honor, and going on the give advice based on a whim. But seeing this regal demon who was always a defender of hers against the more rude and cruel of his kind, had made her unable to keep silent when she felt the degree of yearning and sadness his aura had leaked once he had come to her bed. She had not noted it in conversation, but some part of his control had let go in the midst of their fucking, and she doubted there were many, if any others, who would risk to give him a piece of advice.

"I have never seen you so thoughtful. Except for the time you and your sire fought over Izaiyoi – and your regret after the fact that your sire died that same night. I don't think there is anything in the world you would doubt yourself in, except for the event of you ever finding yourself in your sire's same shoe." Radhashiki smiled ruefully. There was a legion of demonesses who would cut off their hands for his attention, and yet here he was filled with doubt and likely self-loathing, because of some mere human woman. Such a relationship had its own downfalls- such as the pain and misery the demon would face for centuries alone, once the human died. But Radhashiki truly believed that happiness, when it came to you, should be grasped with both hands, and may the kami's decide when and if it were to ever be over. She acutely recalled the young and dashing dog demon who had spent a fortnight in her bed after the death of the Inu No Tashio. She had seen his emotional turmoil at the time, and had then watched him walk away, to go reclaim the lands that were his birthright. He had not come back to her bed till this trip, though he had often frequented her house and taken part in the entertainments provided.

"Sesshoumaru, it does not matter what you think, or what I think or what any demon or human may think. The only thing I will say to you, is – if she were to die tonight. Would you miss her? Would you try anything to be with her as long as possible? And in that time- however short or long it may be, would you for once truly feel completely happy?" Radhashiki paused, looking directly into his veiled golden eyes. She had not a clue if anything was getting through to him, but she prayed at some level she was able to give him the right guidance he had lacked from his own sire and mother. "Because if the answer to those questions are yes, Sesshoumaru, you are wasting your time in my bed. You are wasting time that you could be happy, before it all ends. And my lord?" Radhashiki quirked a brow up, as he looked at her in question. "I have to say- that for all the time I have known you, since you reached your young manhood, I have never once seen you completely happy yet."

And with that she left a stunned Sesshoumaru in her bed as she left in a flurry of silken kimonos to ready herself for welcoming her late night guests. And behind she had left an equally stunned, angry and contemplative Taiyoukai.

(End Flashback)

But what she had said, had been things he knew. And yet, hearing them from her seemed to tilt his view of the world back to the way it should have been. He had found himself not able to leave China fast enough. He just wanted to spend every second he could with Kagome- and he wanted to pursue her and make her his own. Suddenly, the urgency of making her his was acute, and he had to tamp down his unexplainable anxiety because _nothing _he had ever wanted badly had come easily to him. He wondered sardonically what tests the kami's would throw his way now, that he had decided he wanted her.

As the plane taxied to land in Tokyo, he silently sent up a prayer, his first since his father's death, that everything would work out. That she would also agree to become his.

As he de-boarded and came out, his heart felt joy and lightened to find her beautiful and happy face excitedly waving as she ran up to embrace him. Her smell of mountain air and jasmine filled his nose- _Kami she smelled divine!_ Her aura reached out and soothed him.

_How had he ever thought he could not have her? How had he ever thought that he was not already involved?_ It was time to correct this mistake. _**Please let this go right…**_ He pleaded to the kami's before his arms went around her and embraced her in response.

He bent his head and nuzzled his nose to the sensitive spot behind her ear and felt her go rigid in his arms. This was because he was trespassing upon their sacred line of propriety they had unconsciously or consciously formed since the day they first met again in this time. _Well, that line was going to blur a lot more, __**little miko of mine**_, he thought as he let a victorious smirk move his mouth in to a smile.

Had Jaken been there, he would have informed Kagome that that was the look that graced his lord's face before he attacked a particularly prized castle or a coveted artifact. Had Kagome, whose head was burrowed in his chest, seen it-, she would have recognized it to be the samelook he had upon his face prior to attempting to draw out the Tetsiega all those years ago.

He was lucky that no one who knew him so well, saw that smile, as he whispered into the shell of her ear, "I missed you _**my**_ miko." He felt her tremble in his arms, as she looked up- blue eyes filled with uncertainty and fear -and just a tinge of hope.

"_Sesshoumaru?" _she whispered, voicing all her doubts and fears and hopes in that name. It was her hesitant hope he grasped for, as he locked his gaze upon her own, mesmerizing her with his golden eyes. His lips crashed down on hers for a kiss that left no room to wonder what his intensions were.

Kagome went rigid again, but as he nipped and coaxed, he felt her hesitant permission and hope blossom. And once she got over the shock of it all, her own happiness grew, and she slanted her own mouth and to deepen the kiss.

Kagome was lost, as she let her attraction and hopes for this demon male take over her better judgment and senses. After-all, she had known she was fighting a losing battle when every morning without him had made her days seem bleak and grey for the past week, when he had been away.

She had loathed herself, and wondered how she could betray InuYasha this way, when she suddenly had found herself seeing Kikyou every-time she looked at herself in the mirror. She had not thought of the undead priestess for a while. Somehow, this time, Kikyou's memory is what made her realize her own mistake. She realized what she was creating in her own life, was not unlike InuYasha's own in the past. She was feeling guilt and love tie her to someone who was no longer here. InuYasha was dead. And if there was one thing she had learnt in her love for him- it was to let the dead go in peace, and move on with the other gifts life offered in replacement. Uncertainty and living in the past only wasted the future. That was what InuYasha had done to them. She was not going to repeat it. That was a decision she had come to over the past week, but she had not known how to convince the Taiyoukai of the same. She had not wanted to lose his friendship over this, nor place herself at risk of just becoming another conquest. But knew she had to try.

Right now, she was just having a trouble believing that Sesshoumaru seemed to have come to the same conclusion. _Well,_ she thought, _I should send him to China more often._

Then the passion took all coherent thought processing away. So lost were the both of them, that Sesshoumaru missed his usual astute state of knowing his surroundings. He was completely unprepared when it happened.

Rangi could not believe what was happening. This just could not be occurring on his watch!

Rangi had been helpless as Kouga, who he had not been expecting on Komara's flight, had decided Rangi could go screw himself cause he, Kouga was not going to wait for some stupid security clearance shit. And he was right. Rangi knew better than to try and stop the Prince of the Northern lands from coming to his own home. _**Shit!**_ _How had Sesshoumaru missed this fact?_ What was he to do?

And as Kouga stormed right towards Sesshoumaru's gate, Rangi could only watch in silent morbid fascination, as Kouga stopped dead in his tracks, and seemed to search, sniffing the air- a look of shock and disbelief upon his face, as his senses led his gaze to find the girl whose scent and aura he had not felt the likes of in 5 centuries. She had her back to him, and he could not see her face.

It took Kouga a while to get over the shock of just thinking it may be Kagome, but then his mind processed what he was seeing. The girl- who ever she was, had the exact aura of Kagome, the same smell he would never forget, but he could only see her back, and she was in a lip-lock so passionate, that Kouga would have walked away, thinking he had the wrong person, and that it was just another similar girl_**. Except**_ that the demon she was locking lips with had an aura he would also never forget: A demon, who was not one to fall for a human.

And there was only _**one**_ human in all time that could make any demon male her own, should she choose to; and that was _**Kagome**_.

Only InuYasha had been the fool of a half demon, who had dithered on deciding, and lost her. But this was _InuYasha's fucking brother_. There was no way in the seven hells it could be what he was seeing, _could it?_

He was striding towards them- and his mind only processes what he had done after the fact. He did not see Rangi's look of horror as he belatedly tried to catch Kouga as he had pulled the girl away from Sesshoumaru, and looked at the face that had haunted his dreams for centuries. Unforgettable blue eyes clouded with passion and disorientation slowly focused on his own.

And as her stunned face, flushed with passion slowly transformed Kouga felt a grim sense of the unreal settle in his bones. Kagome's mind processed what her vision was showing, and shock slowly replaced her prior happiness.

And all he found himself able to say was, "_**Kagome?"**_

XXXXX

I know. I suck at timely updates. I can only say that life needed my attention for a while, and that these stories I spin are not left incomplete, but just awaiting my return to complete them. I hope you all enjoy this update. Please leave a review, as it is the reason I came back. Thanks to all of you who left one before. Happy Holidays.

Seshaddict


	5. Chapter 5

Turns of Time

Chapter 5:

Diclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

No one seemed to be noticing the volatile Taiyoukai whose eyes were starting to bleed red, other than Rangi. Closing his own gaping facial expression, Rangi realized _**if **_things got out of hand (_and really, it looked that way already!) _it could totally blow the cover of demons everywhere .

If Sesshoumaru lost it here he would reveal to mankind the existence of demons among them, which was something that could not happen. While it was unlikely his lord would transform ,(as Sesshoumaru was one of the most collected, oriented and aware demon lords of all time), his un-Lord Sessoumaru like behavior just now, with some human woman to the point of being caught off guard by Lord Kouga warned Rangi not to take his chances. Rangi therefore hurried over and took a stance in front of the Taiyoukai, effectively blocking off others view of his lord. He then brought out a large sringe filled with a dark red bubbling material and held it in front so that only Sesshoumaru saw it. It was something developed to control and contain any demon who began to break through their controlled humanoid form.

"_**My lord**_, _you __**must**_ _**not**_ lose your control here!" Rangi frantically tried to reason, "We cannot have humans witness any sort of demonic transformation, and right now your eyes are shifting color between red and gold," he whispered strongly. He hoped Sesshoumaru got it, or every demon's cover in this world was blown! And while he had an antidote for such a situation in his hand, there was no doubt in his mind that while he could hit most demons with a shot of this shit, that population of demons did not include Sesshoumaru or Kouga. He'd be incinerated meat before his needle ever touched either one. He hoped he was successful in getting verbally through to the Western Lord, cause if anything, of the two, Lord Sesshoumaru displayed greater self control and poise. Rangi had no doubt that if Lord Sesshouamru attacked Lord Kouga, the other would transform instantly- and this entire terminal would be destroyed by a demonic battle between two demon lords! Rangi's eyes slid contemplatively to the girl, who still could not get over her stunned expression as she stared at Lord Kouga. It seemed this mere human girl was something not so normal- if she had these two lords (**DEMON** _**LORDS**_ for god sake! Rangi thought,) fighting over her. That begged the question of just who she was, but this was not the time for that. He refocused his eyes on Lord Sesshoumaru.

Seshoumaru could not recall the last time he was this angry. Was it when his father had mated Izaiyoi? He felt the rage course through his blood, roiling and hissing as it went. His cells wanted to release his hold on his demonic rage, and it was only a thread of reasoning that kept his sanity intact. Kouga was going to die by his hand when he got the chance! But Rangi's warning was timely in calming him down further and looking about to realize that this drama was unfolding not only in front of his underlings of the demon world, like Rangi- but also in front of Komara and a hidden photographer who was snapping away. A growl released from his throat, and he beat back the urge to pounce the photographer and behead him. It was relatively easier to control that urge than his mind's occupation on emasculating Kouga. Closing his eyes, he wondered how he had lost control. He lost three seconds of alertness while kissing the girl of his dreams and his world blew into smithereens!

Belatedly he realized that he was going to have to work out a way to explain this to Kagome as well, and the last thing he felt like dealing with was Shippo, who Kouga would no doubt inform as soon as he could. When Sesshoumaru looked up again, he was completely golden eyed. Though fury burned in his golden gaze, enough to singe anyone in his way, he was in control.

Rangi took a fast yet relieved step out of his way as he walked up to Kagome and Kouga. He then grasped Kouga from the back- a hand on his right shoulder- as he squeezed, very effectively crushing his collar bone and held it there. "_**Never**_," his soft menacing voice calmly stated, as Kouga realized what he had done and his eyes widened in belated alarm, "touch any woman I am with, _**wolf.**_"

While Kouga was outraged that Sessoumaru had the audacity to kiss Kagome, he realized hehimself had done the unforgivable. Broken collarbone was a light warning in light of what Sesshoumaru's options were, and Kouga also found, he had been effectively blocked off now by Rangi, who held in front of his that serum shit used to control uncontrollable demonic issues, so they were never public. So while Kouga wished to punch the dog shitless, he was also mature enough to realize that their battle was not over- merely held off till they were out of public eye. "Look who's kissing the _human_, dog breath," he breathed out, well aware his taunting would be heard by astute demonic hearing. Sesshoumaru was not going to get off lightly for this.

And secondly, it seemed he had failed to mention Kouga's existence to Kagome. That explained to him, as far as Kouga was concerned, why she had not met him earlier. As for the kiss…… if there was anyone Kagome was going to fall in love with with InuYasha's death, it was him. She just hadn't known he existed. Yeah, that was it. Kouga barely managed, but he controlled his need to mouth off. Afterall, he had matured and mastered himself in order to become the Northern demon Lord, and Sesshoumaru was not the only one who could control himself in public. Kouga would wait.

Sesshoumaru had slipped past Kouga and stood in front of his precious miko. Hopefully, the damage was not unrepairable.

"_Kouga?……"_ Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, tears starting to leak in her eyes. "You…..you didn't tell me he was here!" The look of deep hurt was more than he could forgive himself for, but the normal accompanying sense of guilt was not there- as his selfishness in keeping her to himself is what led them to this point. "_Why_ would you not tell me Sesshoumaru?"

He watched her calmly, while his mind raced to find a reasonable explanation. He was the king of the silver tongue when he needed to be, but the problem was that while he could get away with telling her he had not realized Kouga's importance to her and possibly have her believe that, he could not do the same when it was revealed he had also hidden from her the existence of Shippo.

And the fox was a problem- _A big one_.

Sesshoumaru knew in his gut that Kouga's sudden appearance in Japan was not coincidental and that the seed of this disaster must have been Shippo. The kitsune youkai was brilliant, but it was hard to control or contain someone who was so. For now, Sesshoumaru realized, his time was up, and to gain control, he had to play with honesty. He's had enough diplomatic practice to know when to stop with bullshit and half truths.

"_I am sorry_ Kagome." He finally stated, as he hugged her. Behind he heard Kouga choke. "I had not realized how well you both knew one another." Pulling her back, he looked straight into her eyes, "I must confess I don't think I would have told you even if I had though," he sighed out.

"Sesshoumaru…." Kagome began hesitantly. This was enormous. Who else had he hidden? They had never really ever gotten back to her questions on what had happened in the past and who all were here. This was partially her fault as well. _Yeah, I saw a handsome dog demon and every reasonable thought process halted,_ she thought self derisively.

But before Kagome could continue, Sesshoumaru interrupted. "No, Kagome- Let this Sesshoumaru finish. " He paused as he thought out his words. "I should have told you about those of your group who still exist," he stated, as he watched her eyes widen at the pleural term and saw the questions fill her beautiful gaze.

"I did not realize the import of _this_," his face and nose somehow conveyed his distaste though they didn't seem to move," _**wolf, **_to you, Kagome. However, I did not bring up the others as long as you did not ask, though I suspected you would wish to reacquaint yourself to them." He lifted up sorrowful looking golden eyes to meet her own midnight blue ones, " but I cannot regret that decision."

A derisive snort was one again heard from the wolf behind him. Sesshoumaru reigned himself in from using his acid whip on the whelp.

Kagome had so many questions she wanted to ask; who, where , when and why. But right now, she asked the one he had hoped she would ask first. _**"Why Sesshoumaru?"**_

She was near tears right now, for no actual reason but a vague sense of betrayal. He actually had done nothing wrong, but in a weird way he had not done what was right.

"Because I was given a chance to meet and befriend a girl who had always caught my eye, yet never had the need for my friendship," he stated simply. "Because when I met you, I wanted to make you mine- and the only thing that stopped me was the memory of my damn brother and that I could not possibly want a girl who had loved him and had never noticed me."

Kagome was stunned. His answer was not only out of character for the stoic Taiyoukai, but was out of her ability to comprehend. He had wanted her friendship in the Senku Judai? He had been attracted to her the first day they had remet?

"Kagome, there is no fucking way you can….." Kouga began.

"Silence yourself!" Sesshoumary whipped around, eyes ablaze, a red underlying his golden gaze. "Your time to speak is not now," as he nodded to Rangi. "I believe it would be best Rangi if you controlled this situation immediately. Please show Lord Kouga and Ms. Komara out." He then nodded to another uniformed youkai officer. "There also appears to be a most unwelcome Paparazzi photographer Touki. Please take care of this."

Kagome finally snapped out of her daze. A photographer? And the girl- she knew she had seen her somewhere….. but where?

Unfortunately, the drama was just about to begin. Before Rangi could do anything to gain control of the situation a hand, things took a turn that was again unexpected for the white dog demon.

"_**You!"**_ Komara stormed up to Kagome, belately realizing why the girl Sesshoumaru had been all but devouring in public, something he never did, looked so familiar. "You cheap boyfriend and husband stealing tramp!" she completed as she stood to the side of Kagome. Sesshouamaru found himself at a loss. _Komara __**knew **__Kagome?_

Kagome turned to look at the beautiful face uncomprehendingly. She was an actress, that much she knew, but Kagome had not been attuned to the world of movies and shows. Childhood had been spent on Naraku and Inuyasha, and the modern age had held a lack of funds for such knowledge. But then she saw the nose- unusually sharp for the normal Japanese girl and it rang a bell. But before she could grasp the situation, Komara stunned everyone by slapping her.

Sesshoumaru roared and lunged, held back just barely by Touki and some other demons, who also had to aid Rangi.

"What the fuck?!"Kouga howled, "you better run you bitch." Right now both demon lord's temperaments were not ideal, and Rangi wanted to punch Komara Haikatsu for making this so much more non conodusive. He nodded to his officers, "Please remove Lord Kouga to through customs and secure him in the waiting room there. I will see to this."

"What?" Kagome started stunned by the stinging on her face as she comprehended what had happened.

"You stole him from me!" Komara screeched. Hysterically straining against another officer who was trying to get her away from the waif like slender girl she seemed intent on attacking.

"You told me you would meet with him and get me a charm, and instead you meet with a man I planned to marry- and took him away?" Komara accused, " _what sort of miko are you?"_

And it all came back. Komara_**. Ko.**_ The beauty with the scarf that wanted the _pregnancy_ charm.

Kagome turned her head to Sesshoumaru – _he_ was her husband? Perhaps it was the stress, or the insanity of Komara's claim, but Kagome could only find hilarity in Komara's tantrum. She thought she was marrying Sesshoumaru?- by getting pregnant with a charm. _Oh gods- what a disaster_. Kagome realized what she had diverted and how much pain she had spared the girl. Laughter bubbled up and spilled, tinkling in gulps of hilarity, and she started to tear up from the thought of Sesshoumaru falling victim to one of her stupid charms. The irony of it!

Kouga who had been resisting about four youkai security officers to go stand by Kagome in the event the other human attacked again, was stunned. Kagome was taking this well or had lost it. "Kagome, are you ok?" he hesitantly inquired.

Sesshoumaru also found Kagome's response odd. What the hell was Komara talking about? Then he recalled she had been the one to tell him about the Higurashi shrine priestess one day after a consultation. _**How**_ _had he overlooked that?_

Kagome finally suddenly sobered. "I stole?" she stated her question. "No. Ko, I think _you lied_."

Komara huffed. "No. I just didn't wish to tell you everything, but it is because of you he has left me."

Kagome contemplated the beautiful young girl. She hoped she never ever found herself in Komara's shoes. Right now, it did not seem so funny and she was sorry she had laughed at all. "Ko. Sesshoumaru and I have known one another for… well, years. I don't think you ever had him. He was not yours to decide to ask for the things you did of me that night."

"_What __**things**_?" Sesshoumaru's terse question rang out.

"No harm was done Sesshoumaru. _Let's go_." And Kagome turned and left a deflated yet vicously angry Komara behind.

As Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand to lead him out, she realized she had left a lot of unsettled issues, but she was the only one who could diffuse things right now- and so she had to remove all players from the field until she spoke to her white haired scoundrel.

"Kagome," Kouga called after her, much to Komara's dismay. _How did this simple temple priestess know such men?_

Kagome turned, and noticed how Kouga seemed to almost equal Sesshoumaru these days in the degree of self control and regalness. She was proud. Kouga had come into his own. She wanted to talk, to question and to bond, but she was also hesitant. Kouga had never gotten over her in the past. She did not want anything to destroy that hesitant bond that had just started and ended too soon with her kiss to Sesshoumaru. "Kouga- I promise to meet up with you as soon as I can. Right now, however, I don't think the both of you can handle one another in the confine of a car, right?"

Kouga hesitated. The Kouga of old would have brushed aside such obstacles and inconsequential and stupid, but not so this one. He obviously contemplated whether he could tolerate such an order, before huffing out-" I believe you are right, I don't' think Sesshoumaru can handle it" He grinned winsomely at her, before adding- "So I 'll come round for dinner. I know where the dog lives."

He then turned to face Komara, who was staring contemplatively at Kagome and SEsshoumaru's retreating backs. He had had it with the broad's come-ons. He did not fuck youkai left overs, and _especially_ those of dog demons. That she had dared to attack Kagome was unforgivable.

Komara belately realized Kouga was watching her bore holes into the priestess's back, and turned to smile hesitantly at Kouga. "I'm sorry you had to witness that. Sesshoumaru and I were together when she broke us up."

Kouga narrowed his gaze. Kagome did not break up relationships. She had considered him taken just because of his childhood promise to Ayame and had suffered because she could not demand of InuYasha to overcome his feelings for a dead priestess. This stupid human had no idea who she besmirched with her prattle and petty vengence. They had all seen their priestess and knew her bravery and honesty and selflessness like the back of their hand. This woman was going to be a problem, one he would be happy to take care of, but Kouga was no longer the past wolf demon without insite and short temperament. While his baseline personality was unchanged, he had evolved through time to gain some polish, some patience and some of his own strategy. As he contemplated Komara, none of his roiling emotions showed except for the darkening of his eyes and the danger of his aura. He decided in the end, that now was not the time to fix this problem. No doubt she would come again- and this was truly fixable only by Sesshoumaru. It was his problem, not his. But that didn't make him like his decision- because this lady reminded him of Tsubaki- a dark priestess of the past.  
" Kagome does not stoop so low" he intoned firmly. "And if I ever see you harm her again, you will wish you were dead." With that he turned rudely and walked away, Rangi tagging after him. The silence stretched for a few moments, as Rangi thanked every god he knew for diffusing what could have happened, and Lord Kouga seemed lost in angry contemplation. Probably about that girl. Who the hell was that human? Because he could not bear to not ask, Rangi spoke aloud what he desperately wished answer for a few moments later, when Kouga's aura had calmed somewhat.

"How does she know you my lord?" Rangi finally asked the question burning in his mind."The blue eyed human, how do you know her?"

Kouga, who had been striding forward, stopped and stared. Then he narrowed his gaze, a royal coldness chilling them. "I don't believe that had any bearing for you, Inspector," he drawled out. Rangi fought the squirm he wanted to do under that gaze. It was not quite as intimidating as Sesshoumaru's, but had the same intensity and superiority to it that only the royals could have. He had forgotten briefly that this was the Northern Lord Kouga, and while royals may fight like dogs (oh how apt here) among themselves, they did not welcome outsiders into their business. That was what Lord Kouga's tone was reminding him. He had overstepped a boundry, and quickly he righted himself. Bowing, he stated. "I apologize my lord, you are correct."

Kouga watched him for a second with eyes that were contemplatively frightening, before resuming exiting the terminal , leaving Rangi still bowing behind. Rangi looked up, grateful Kouga had not taken more issue with his nosiness. He would not have been so lucky if it had been Sesshouamaru. _Damn freaking youkai lords!- Why were they always so frightening? And how did any human girl get past their conceited socially biased defenses? It looked like he was not likely to find out._

_XXX_

"_Ginta," _Shippo tried to break the stupid wolf youkai's rant.

"No Shippo, I aint talkin to you. You have anything to say, ask, or do- you talk to Kouga, ok?"

"I just told you, your boss is not answering his calls," Shippo fought to stay calm. "So tell me, where is he?"

Ginta paused. Was he being duped again? Was it ok to talk? Argh! The fact was that one never knew with a kitsune, but surely there was not harm in answering just that question.

"Shippo. I ain't gonna talk anymore to you. Kouga's in Japan, you got him, remember? You got my ass kicked around with that Tashio jet issue- so, you call Kouga with anymore questions. I'm not going to answer any more of your calls."

Ginta hung up. _Ouch._ Just moving hurt. _God-damn Kitsune_. He was lucky to get that much information after what he did to him. Ginta fell promptly back to sleep, after he turned his cell phone off.

_XXXX_

Had Shippo been Kouga, he would have slammed his fist and broken the new sleek ergonomic desk he was seated behind. Had Shippo been Kouga, he would have cursed a blue streak so loud, they would have run out of soap here in France to wash his mouth out with. Had Shippo been Kouga, he would have tossed his cellphone into the ancient mantle, so it smashed into smithereens.

However, Shippo was not Kouga. A terse snap of his cellphone as he placed it on his desk was followed by tense contemplative silence. The kitsune youkai had known playing with the wolf could backfire. But he had counted on their long standing friendship to keep Kouga in line and to forgive him. As he retraced his actions, he realized he had not given enough credit to Kouga's pride. This was after-all the youkai Lord of the Northern Lands. Kouga would not take to manipulation lightly- and he was not a complete idiot.

Shippo stared out to where the lights of Paris twinkled back at him. So_, what would Kouga do?_ His first bet had been that he would refuse to even go to Japan, but it seemed Kouga was not playing by his usual rules. So now what? Shippo contemplated the situation. There was no way Kouga went to Japan just to see the sword. No _full Youkai_ could wield the thing. Kouga was well aware of that. No, so that was not the reason here.

As Shippo sipped lightly on his wine, the wheels of his mind turned. What would be Kouga's incentive to continue to Japan when he was obviously infuriated with Shippo's manipulations to get him there?

The answer came on his next sip. If Shippo were Kouga, what would he do? _What would Kouga do if he were Shippo?_

He did not like what he discerned from that thought, and his green eyes narrowed, as he turned the thought in his mind, not liking the answer one bit. However, it seemed most likely. Kouga had no ties except his title to Japan. He loathed Sesshoumaru, but somehow their mutual background as ruling demons to the land lent them a dangerous civility that often got them to avoid one another if possible, and rarely when that was not, allied ultimately in their interactions; In fact, sometimes to the point that their goals were ultimately similar.

Shippo's green eyes da rkened. That would not be a good thing here, if he was to know what was going on. Of course, he could always ignore whatever it was that Sesshoumaru hid, but as Kouga had obviously noted, that was not his way. Curiosity only killed the cat once- no one knew, but it killed the kitsune in all reborn lives as well. No, it was unlikely he could sleep well without answers to his questions.

If his suspicion that Kouga went to Japan, because he realized Shipo's interest in Sesshoumaru was true, and with the ultimate goal to get Shippo frustrated with his own curiosity and finally get to Japan himself, where two canine mongrel lords who shared their dislike to be manipulated would await him- well they were in for a long wait. Shippo smiled, a nasty twist to his mouth. Well, he was always the underdog with those two asses, was he not? Royal blood bound them both, but it had not stopped him yet. In fact, it amused him that it took two ruling demons to contain this _common_ fox demon. Hmph. Lets see, _how to do this?- _

He spent the night turning the problem in his head. When he finally found the solution, he grinned. Why had he not thought of it sooner? Well, if Kouga thought Shippo was going to hop on a plane to Japan and walk into a Sesshoumaru – Kouga tag team, he was in for another something. _This_ fox Youkai was not a fool . He did not walk into situations without being aware of what the shit was going on. He hoped Kouga had had the crap beat out of him already by Sesshouamru. It was always easier if one of the parties were not in commission. And Kouga, given he was not sharing information and was harboring a grudge, was someone Shippo wanted out of the picture quickly if possible. His shrewd eyes glinted in the dark, as he picked up the phone and made a call…..

XXXX

Kagura was not sure, but the kitsune youkai calling her after midnight, was not her idea of humorous. Infact, she was quite put out by it. Afterall, female demonesses needed their sleep. But while the kitsune had in the past, been considered a brat and a thorn in her side, she had at one point in time been given physical comfort in his bed, when he was well aware that she would rather have been in Sesshoumaru's. He had come far since then, and she had maintained an odd sort of relationship wit him, that was a mix of friendship and physical mating. So, when he asked her if she would perhaps drop by and check up on Kouga, who had gone missing, she found nothing amiss in the request. Kagura drew the line at getting involved in his machinations between himself and Sesshoumaru. Afterall, no self serving demoness lived long if she crossed that line, but checking up on the stupid wolf?- well, while she and Kouga had never been able to forgive one another or tolerate each other for long, they had been forced to co-exist, because Sesshoumaru did not tolerate stupidity. And killing each other with demonic numbers dwindling consisted of stupidity as far as the dog general was concerned. That would not have stopped them, but the fact that he had shown them their death at his hand would be far less likable, both had been forced into a truce. Kagura's face grimaced at the thought of having to see wolf-breath today- but alas, what you had to do for those who fucked you well was vital. _And Shippo, well-_ her eyes got dreamy at the thought of their last interlude. _It was worth it, if just for another encounter….._

XXX

Next time, Kouga and Sessshoumaru fight it out, and Shippo comes to Japan!

Happy New Year to all of you.

Please review- it fuels my writing!

Seshaddict


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Turns of Time**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

Yes, it has been a long time. I can only tell you that I have free time for a year, and hope to complete all my current ongoing stories. Lets hope that is what happens. I should be uploading another chapter in a day or two- with the actual Shippo in Japan part, this was too long and the other half needs some editing, as I have not been happy with the way it reads. Please review- as I do read those repeatedly, and they are what have motivated me to write this today. Sorry it is so late, but I would not have been able to help it given what was going on. Wish you all good reading.

Shippo looked down at the lovely girl beneath him as he pounded into her, leading them both towards that searing, blinding, heart pounding oblivion that great sex resulted in. She was slender and lovely. Her hair was a dark black-brown, her skin milky white and her eyes that unforgettable blue. He was sick, he knew, but when it came to women, they had to have the eyes. He watched as hers clouded with lusty ecstasy while milky thighs tightened around his waist as he lifted her buttocks and held her so he could fuck her right. Gods she was tight! He felt the sensations overtake him, and rode the wave with her as the night filled with her wonton shouts and his groans of release while the bed creaked on.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru had not talked the ride home. Kagome knew he would not mention a thing with a chauffer driving. It seemed she knew everything he would want and not, yet obviously she had not had the whole truth from him. She stared down at where his hand gently yet firmly grasped her own. Her entire hand tingled and her breathing had become shallow with the contact. The entire way home she had tried to be angry and wondered if the fact he had hid the existence of those she knew would change anything. It would not. She had not asked. She had not pressed- and why should he know she would want to know about Kouga?

InuYasha, Miroku, Sango- yes; but not Kouga. After all, he was not in the inner circle of her friends. It would not matter even then she decided, because Kagome Higurashi was head over heels in love with Sesshoumaru that she would forgive him almost anything. I am so useless she thought half derisively. But that did not mean he was not going to have to grovel a bit. After all, it was not every day that a girl could get a dog demon to feel bad.

When the car pulled to a stop in front of his house, she allowed him to help her out of the car. Dropping his bags onto the butler and rapping out orders to everyone, he finally turned. "I will tell you everything you wish and more Kagome, " golden eyes bore into hers, holding her captive. "But all I could think of the entire trip in China was what it would be like to kiss you, mate you and take you for my better half." Kagome felt herself flush then chill and break out in goose bumps. It was more than she hoped for and yet it frightened her so very much now that what she wanted was in reach. She knew she would not survive if he walked away from her after she had given him all that he wanted with that statement. His hands traced tiny circles on her wrist where he held her, sparking her nerves. Suddenly it was as if a fire had begun, and she felt as if she watched herself from another body for only a second, until his lips crashed on hers devouring her again. Then the heat began to pool down her stomach in the area of her groin. So this is what it is like to want – she randomly thought.

Sesshoumaru stared into dreamy eyes when he broke the kiss. "Jaken." His eyes slid sharply to his gaping retainer. "Ensure that no one disturbs us." With that he held Kagome's waist, and led her up the stairs to his bedroom.

Kagome sighed. "Seshoumaru- " she began. She was not going to become another pushover for a dog demon again. She had to make it clear they needed to talk, no matter how much she wanted to kiss him.

"I know" he said, his eyes taking a humorous hue. "We are going to talk. There is not much to say, and then we are going to forgive my intentional omission on this subject in a way that will require us to be upstairs." Kagome flushed, she blushed and stuttered. Sessoumaru was glad he had rendered her speechless. He hoped that he could repeat it so effectively again. There were afterall better ways to use that mouth of hers...

Kouga was lost in thought as Hakaku drove like a maniac through the busy noon Tokyo traffic. His thoughts were recounting his past interactions with Kagome, trying to find any time that he was aware that she was or had ever been on friendly terms with that intolerable ass-hole; otherwise known as Sesshoumaru.

No. She never had. In-fact, he recalled InuYasha ranting about Sesshoumaru trying to kill Kagome once, long ago - but he had never had the whole story. Until now, Sesshoumaru's relationship with Kagome had never been an issue. _Well- that was obviously no longer the case,_ he thought grimly. He did recall that the dog demon had rescued the girl during that whole Souga sword debacle, and that there had been something of him saving Kagome before that- but he could not recall ever having watched the two interact before. No. It had always been InuYasha and Kagome, never the older Inu.

Unfotunately, the car ride was affording him time to think a bit, and now that he thought of it, Sesshoumaru had literally looked ready to devour Kagome with that kiss. Kouga sat up straight startling Hakaku who had been eyeing his lord with no small amount of concern.

Kouga didn't notice his associates concern. His mind was focusing on the fact that Kagome had not been doing anything to stop the bastard dog (not as literally as it had applied to InuYasha, but much more apt to describe the personality here) from kissing her! If anything she had been just as lost in that smooch with dog breath. Shit! He just could not loose her to another Inu-Demon. Come on. There had to be some sort of fairness in life!

But anyways, thinking back and turning over what he had initially seen between the two, Kouga could not believe he had left the two to go home together.

"Shit!" he slapped his palm on his forehead " I am _such_ _**an idiot!**_" Frantic now that he thought about it, he turned to Hakaku before barking out "Take the loop back to the Inu's house in Tokyo," breaking the interminable silence that had occupied the car ride so far.

Hakaku jerked at Kouga's sudden outburst, but swiftly complied. Ginta had called to let him know that Shippo had been up to his Kitsune nose in treachery- but towards what goal no one seemed to know. Now Koga showed up fuming and uncharacteristically silent, however Hakaku had not wanted to stir Kouga's infamous temper and suffer broken bones as Ginta had, so he had not asked what the F was going on. Mentally he sighed, why could Shippo not involve Kouga in his machinations?

Hakkaku took the loop back towards the other end of Tokyo.

"She's back ya know." Kouga finally stated- sounding a bit more stable compared to the urgency of his first statement.

Hakaku turned for a second to meet Koga's eyes before returning to eye the treacherous Tokyo traffic. "Who's back Kouga?"

Silence settled back in between them, as Kouga looked out the window on the passenger side for a prolonged and thoughtful moment before he cleared his throat, "Kagome- " he said softly, "she's…. back"

"Well- huh? What?" Hakaku finally processed that statement. _**Kagome?**_

"_Kagome!"_ Hokaku nearly shouted, braking suddenly. Finally coming to a stop off to the side of the road, as he fully turned to Kouga. No wonder Kouga was acting so strange. Kagome was the one girl Kouga had never forgotten. How many drunken nights had ended in Kouga toasting to "his girl" - where ever she may be. While Kouga was not the kind of man to show it, Ginta and Hakaku knew that he always wondered what had become of the priestess and in his own way mourned her. It was never obvious, but it was there if you were a close associate, and they were lucky enough to be his.

In-fact, time had allowed Kouga to take Kagome and polish her attributes to near angelic levels. Hakaku gulped. When Kagome had been here last, Kouga had been deaf, dumb and blind to the fact that she was so not into him. InuYasha had been the obvious love of her life, and while dog face hadn't snapped her up and seen her for the treasure that she was- she had had eyes for no one else. If she was back, then Kouga was going to go completely unreasonable- because that's what he did when he was with her and now there was no InuYasha to buffer the situation. But that brought up the question of how a human like Kagome was still around when InuYasha was not.

" Hey Kouga?- How's it that Kagome is here when she is a _human_? Shouldn't she have been gone by now or something?"

Kouga had been wondering that ever since walking out of the airport with Rangi. Kagome was a human, and they didn't live long. But this was Kagome. _No doubt about that- _he thought. _She_ had even recognized him. "Its Kagome, Hakaku- I don't know how, but it is her." He wondered if dog breath had done something to her to prolong her life- but even demonic mating could not do that. It was one of the hundred questions he needed to ask… _once he got back to her_.

Kagura narrowed her gaze at the dumb wolf demon cub that answered the door. "So let me understand," she eyed him with disbelieving contempt. " You have _no idea_ that Lord Kouga is in Japan?"

"Look Lady- I have no fuckin clue about Lord Kouga being in Japan," stated the young wolf cub who was around 100 years in age, but looked to be 14 or 15 in human years with an arrogance and attitude to match. "You might wanna try somewhere else."

"_Hm."_ Red eyes narrowed on the innocent look on the boy's face. "_Really_?" she drawled, "and where else would I look for him?"

"Don't know and don't care," shrugged the boy- "But I think Lord Sesshoumaru always knows who is in Japan so you could start there? It's not like I know those sorts of things." Not like she could waltz up and ask the demon lord that question anyway. Ha- let's see what she did.

"No." Kagura had had enough door talk. "How about you invite me in and let me wait here till your father gets back, _hm_?"

_No way_. There was no way this demoness was getting into this house on his watch. "Sorry- Grandpops always told me not to let in unknown guests…..so you could wait here till he gets in?"

Kagura ground her back teeth. _This had better be worth the trouble Shippo_, she thought as she rigidly walked back to her Porche to wait for Kouga. After all, there was no where else in Japan he could be unless he has howling around the northern forests_; and if he was_, Shippo would have to find him on his own.

Taku eyed the ramrod straight back and air of irritation and anger that wafted about the demoness as she sauntered away. Too bad, cause she was a hottie, but Taku was Hakaku's grandson, and everyone in the wolf tribe still knew how Kagura the wind demoness slaughtered their kith and kin hundreds of years ago. She was a bed time nightmare story told to naughty wolf demon cubs from their toddler years. There was no way in hell he was going to be telling the conniving bitch anything. He was sure that his grandfather would agree. Playing it dumb was the smart thing here. It was not like she could know that he was home today cuz grandfather had wanted him to meet Lord Kouga. He hoped they were delayed. Closing the door he went to make a phone call. He needed to let his Lord Kouga know that when they got here, she would be waiting. It didn't look like her Porshe was going anywhere.

Hokkaku listened to his grandson. It seemed trouble was brewing. It was odd after such long peace. Hanging up he cleared his throat to catch Kouga's attention.

"Yeah?" Kouga asked, wondering what could be up.

"Looks like Kagura is looking for you." Hokkaku noted, that Kouga initially seemed confused. Afterall, why should the wind-demoness ever be looking for him. Then he got angry, and worked his way up to furious. Shippo. It was a good thing he was not going home. No. Kagura and Shippo could wait. He had bigger fish to fry, and Kouga definitely didn't want either one of those people involved in this business at the current time.

"_Tell her nothing." _ he finally stated. Hakakku nodding. That was what his grandson had done afterall. He called back to make sure he let him know.

Rangi picked up the phone. Having finally dealt with a hysterical and demanding actress had not made his day any better. Komara had been a bonafide pain in the ass. How had Lord Sesshoumaru dealt with her? It was obvious from her scent she had been a bedmate of the demon lord a while back. No wonder Lord Kouga had been in such a temper on deboarding. It was not a secret that the two demon Lords avoided each other in the extreme. However, given the airport situation, and Lord Kouga's foolishness to remove a female from Lord Sesshoumaru's embrace, he had no doubt that Japan was in for some weather and natural disturbances. Sighing he dialed the number to a remote corner in northern islands of Japan.

"Professor? This is Officer Rangi," he state.

"Who?" came the reply in a back ground of hammering and beeping. " OH!… Rangi," 'shuffling was heard and then, "What is it my boy?"

The old demon's voice was so ancient and raspy that Rangi had to strain to hear it, especially over the background noise.

"Well sir," Rangi tried to think how to put it. " I just wanted to make you aware that Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Kouga nearly lost their demonic control today in an unexpected encounter at Tokyo airport. I have no doubt they will be visiting you shortly. Perhaps you would want to put out a warning of some-kind?" Rangi went on to brief the old professor that Kouga had surprised Sesshoumaru in the midst of the airport.

Silence buzzed . "What did you say?" the old geezer wheezed back. "Lord Sesshomaru was taken unaware?" Cackling was heard. "Are you sure boy? That is not very likely knowing him."

How he wished so. Rangi would have agreed if he had not been the one to deal with all this today. "No sir. I am not making this up. They came to fist cuff almost when Lord Kouga pulled away a girl the Western Lord was kissing." Rangi thought that everything about that statement was unbelievable.

"_Kissing?"_ Silence that Rangi knew signified curiosity reigned. "_**Who**_ was _**he**_ kissing?"

Well- the old fool who always seemed so disoriented, had always been sharp. He would not miss the import of PDA here. "I don't know sir, but she was human and it appeared that Lord Kouga knew her very well." Rangi thought for a moment, and then added,"He called her Kagome." Could it be that she was a well known persons? Rangi had to wonder. If both Kouga and Sesshoumaru knew her, the the professor should too.

"Kagome!" Something was dropped and crashed in the background with the Professor. After some profound muttering,"_Are you sure that is what he called her_?"

"Yes. I am."

There was a very pronounced moment of complete silence. The hammering noise in the background going dead, as the old man asked, "Did she have back hair and blue eyes?"

Hm. Apparently he (Rangi) was the only one who had no clue who this human was.

"Yes." Rangi wondered if Totosai would give him the knowledge. "Who is she Totosai samma?"

"Well…..this is most unbelievable." came the old voice, "I don't think I have time for that story now Rangi,, but if you say they were kissing and fighting over her- then I have a massive Tsunami/earthquake warning to put out. Thanks my boy for the warning." The line clicked dead in a hurry.

Well! It looks like he was not going to find out who this girl Kagome was, but the fact that even Totosai could recognize her was concerning. Rangi racked his brain to see if he had missed someone of import – his brain only drawing a big blank. Who could she be? How was it that major demons could recognize her aura and name, and yet he felt lost as to who she was. Added to the fact was that she was a mere human, and that was something Rangi could not explain. Lord Kouga and Lord Sesshoumaru had no fondness for humans. At least Lord Sesshoumaru had adopted on in the past, but Lord Kouga had no sympathy for their kind at all. This girl was important. He _had_ to know more about her.

Rangi narrowed his eyes. He had some searching to do. He picked up the phone, and made a call. There was one person who could answer this question- who knew everything there was to know about anyone and anybody. Sure – this was going to cost him, but Rangi thought of all the times he had helped. Yep- he would get answers. And honestly, Rangi felt he needed to know who this girl was. He was head of demon safetly, and if Totosai thought the girl was going to result in a Tsunami/ earthquake disaster caused by two demon lords fighting over her, well then someone had to tell him what the fuck was going on, and Shippo Tekkara was sure to know.

I know it is a fillerish sort - of chapter. Like I said, I am working out things I don't like on the second part, and thought to just update so I get some of it out. Let me know what you think.


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